Top US and Russian diplomats discuss Ukraine war in Manila

High-level diplomatic engagement between the United States and Russia occurred on the margins of an ASEAN meeting in the Philippines, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov convening in Manila. The encounter lasted approximately thirty minutes, according to Russian media accounts. The timing coincided with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's efforts to restart negotiations aimed at resolving the protracted conflict.

Russia's Foreign Ministry released a statement indicating that Lavrov reaffirmed Moscow's willingness to pursue political and diplomatic resolution of the conflict. The minister referenced proposals previously discussed between Presidents Trump and Putin during an August 2025 meeting in Alaska. However, Lavrov also stressed opposition to continued weapons supplies to Ukraine and criticised what he characterised as destabilising European policies aimed at achieving Russia's strategic defeat.

The US State Department provided limited detail regarding the meeting, with a spokesperson noting only that discussions covered the bilateral relationship and the necessity of ending the war. Rubio acknowledged to reporters that the Ukraine conflict has constrained US-Russia cooperation on other matters, though he indicated American willingness to explore potential areas of collaboration. He stated the US remained open to facilitating peace efforts should circumstances permit.

Meanwhile, Zelenskyy reported productive conversations with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner regarding diplomatic revitalisation. Negotiations have remained stalled, with Moscow maintaining its insistence on Ukrainian territorial concessions and US focus shifting toward Middle Eastern developments. Trump has publicly supported Ukraine's long-range drone operations targeting Russian energy infrastructure, suggesting such actions could advance conflict resolution.