US and Russia: Foreign Ministers Rubio and Lavrov Meet in Manila
These are the first talks at this level in a long time: US and Russian Foreign Ministers Rubio and Lavrov have met in person. What may follow from this, however, remains entirely unclear.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Manila. The meeting took place on the sidelines of a gathering of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in the Philippine capital. The talks lasted more than an hour and a half, reported the state-controlled Russian news agency TASS.
The topic was Ukraine, reported the state-controlled Russian news agency RIA, citing the Foreign Ministry in Moscow. Lavrov reaffirmed Russia's readiness for a political and diplomatic solution to the conflict in Ukraine. The normalization of relations between Russia and the United States was also discussed.
Putin continues to insist on complete control of the Donbas
Russian President Vladimir Putin has so far rejected any peaceful resolution and the path toward possible peace talks. An offer from Kyiv for a direct meeting between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was also rebuffed. Instead, Moscow is insisting on its maximum demands, which include complete control over the Donbas.
Most recently, US President Donald Trump had endorsed Ukrainian strikes on energy infrastructure deep inside Russian territory, saying it could help bring about an end to the war. Moscow, in turn, had condemned US strikes on Iran.
Against this backdrop, it remains unclear to what extent the talks in Manila can contribute to a possible peace settlement in Ukraine. Russian attacks in the war against Ukraine have continued unabated for weeks, with numerous casualties.
