Moscow, Russia – Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held an important meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Manila, the capital of the Philippines, on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit. This high-level diplomatic encounter follows a series of recent high-level contacts between the two countries. The aim was to coordinate positions and discuss ways to defuse current regional and international crises. The Russian Foreign Ministry issued an official statement outlining the content of the intensive talks. Notably, the statement noted that the two sides exchanged views comprehensively and in depth on a wide range of bilateral and international issues of mutual interest.
The stance on the Ukrainian crisis and the categorical rejection of arming Kyiv
On the Ukrainian crisis, Moscow opened the discussion with a comprehensive briefing by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to his American counterpart. He described the current situation on the ground along the military contact line. In this context, Lavrov conveyed Russia’s categorical and absolute rejection of the continued flow of Western weapons to the Kyiv regime. He also strongly criticized European policies. According to Moscow, these are destabilizing and desperately seeking to achieve what it called Russia’s “strategic defeat.”
In terms of diplomatic solutions, the Russian Foreign Minister renewed his country’s firm affirmation of its full readiness to reach a political and diplomatic settlement to the conflict. Moreover, he expressed Moscow’s commitment to the constructive proposals put forward by the American side during the summit of Presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump in Anchorage. The Russian President has previously expressed his approval.
Regional files and cooperation in the space and culture sector
The bilateral talks were not limited to the Ukrainian issue, but also addressed, at length, sensitive regional and international matters. This included the rapidly evolving security situation in the Gulf region. These discussions reflected the desire of both sides to contain ongoing tensions.
In a move reflecting the limited areas of understanding, both Lavrov and Rubio welcomed the continuation of full and open channels of communication between the Russian space agency Roscosmos and the US space agency NASA. Both sides also expressed their strong support for developing ongoing parliamentary exchanges. Furthermore, they supported strengthening cultural ties between the two peoples.
Normalizing the work of diplomatic missions and agreeing to continue communication
The Russian Foreign Ministry concluded its statement by noting that both sides focused particularly on the need to normalize the status and operations of Russian and American diplomatic missions in both countries in order to overcome past obstacles. At the end of the meeting, a practical agreement was reached to continue regular communication and ongoing coordination between the two countries’ foreign ministries. This includes active participation and joint cooperation in various international organizations and forums, according to RT.
