Manila, the capital of the Philippines, hosted a meeting today, Thursday, between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his American counterpart Marco Rubio on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit.
According to Lavrov's agenda, published by the Russian Foreign Ministry, the meeting between the Russian and American ministers was scheduled to begin at 6:50 a.m. Moscow time and was expected to last approximately half an hour, as reported by Russia Today.
As reported by the German news agency, the meeting is expected to renew discussions on the possibility of the United States mediating an end to the war in Ukraine.
This meeting is one of the most significant side meetings being held among top regional diplomats during the ASEAN event in Manila.
U.S. efforts to mediate the end of the Russian-Ukrainian war have waned amid stalled indirect talks, while the conflict with Iran has taken center stage. Reciprocal strikes between Washington and Tehran have intensified again following the collapse of a temporary ceasefire agreement.
Rubio told reporters in Manila on Wednesday that he intends to discuss the conflict in Ukraine with Lavrov, emphasizing that the United States remains open to playing a role in ending the conflict "if the opportunity arises."
He acknowledged that these efforts have "somewhat declined in recent months," but noted that the meeting would explore whether there is an opportunity to resume talks.
Rubio stated, "We need to have a relationship with the Russian government, despite areas where we differ," highlighting that the two countries possess the largest nuclear arsenals.
Lavrov, speaking to journalists during the ASEAN meeting, said he would question Rubio about the latest statements from U.S. President Donald Trump, who speculated that a resolution was near.
Lavrov added, "I will ask Marco Rubio about that tomorrow (Thursday)."
Lavrov and Rubio last met in New York at the end of September last year. The current talks mark the fourth direct meeting between the two ministers.