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Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a meeting in Manila on Thursday, on the sidelines of ASEAN-related events, with the primary focus on resolving the conflict in Ukraine. The talks, which began at 11:54 a.m. local time at the Philippine International Convention Center, lasted more than half an hour, according to a TASS correspondent. The meeting was initiated by the United States, a diplomatic source told TASS.
Coverage comparison
Reports from TASS and The Hindu provide a consistent account of the meeting's occurrence and its central theme. TASS, citing a diplomatic source, reported that the United States initiated the meeting, with two groups of journalists—ten from Russia and ten from the United States—briefly allowed into the room to film the opening. The Russian delegation included Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko, Foreign Ministry Foreign Policy Planning Department Director Alexey Drobinin, and Presidential Envoy to ASEAN Yevgeny Zagaynov. The US side included Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker and Special Presidential Envoy Sergio Gor.
Ahead of the talks, Lavrov had stated he would ask Rubio about US President Donald Trump's statements on a Ukraine deal, saying, "As for Trump's forecasts about an imminent settlement, I will ask Marco Rubio about that, especially since he has also commented on the Anchorage outcome in a rather ambiguous way." He added that the meeting would be useful, saying, "it is better to ask questions directly and receive answers."
Key claims
The Russian Foreign Ministry, in a statement reported by TASS, said Lavrov reaffirmed Moscow's commitment to the proposals put forward by the United States at last year's bilateral summit in Alaska between Presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, which were accepted by the Russian leader. The ministry also said Lavrov emphasized that further weapons supplies to Kiev were unacceptable, describing the "destructive policy" of European countries seeking to inflict a "strategic defeat" on Russia.
According to the ministry, the parties exchanged views on a wide range of bilateral and international issues, including the situation in the Persian Gulf. They welcomed the resumption of contact between Roscosmos and NASA and called for boosting interparliamentary exchanges and cultural ties. Attention was also paid to normalizing the operation of Russian and US diplomatic missions. The parties agreed to maintain contact between the two foreign policy agencies.
The Hindu reported that Lavrov and Rubio discussed the Ukraine conflict and the normalization of US-Russia relations, with Lavrov reaffirming Russia's readiness for a political and diplomatic settlement. The two agreed to continue contacts, according to the Russian statement.
In a separate TASS report, Grigory Karasin, Chairman of the Federation Council Committee on International Affairs, characterized the meeting as a "notable signal" and a "concrete hope" rooted in common sense. Writing on his Telegram channel, Karasin said, "Yesterday's brief meeting between Sergey Lavrov and Marco Rubio sent a clear, noticeable signal. While it has yet to yield any substantial results—an outcome largely contingent on the unpredictable nature of the Trump administration—the mere prospect remains promising." He added that "objective information regarding the situation along the engagement line, as well as the destructive role played by Europe—which has become excessively entangled in its militaristic frenzy—should prove beneficial for Washington."