RUBIO TO MEET LAVROV: “IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR RUSSIA IF THE WAR ENDED”
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has announced that he will meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on July 23 in Manila, where both are attending the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ meetings.
According to Rubio, ending the war in Ukraine would be in Russia’s own interest.
“It would be good for Russia if the war ended.”
Rubio said the conflict has become the primary obstacle preventing Washington and Moscow from making progress on other areas of their bilateral relationship. As long as the war continues, broader cooperation between the two countries will remain extremely limited.
The U.S. Secretary of State added that Washington remains prepared to play a constructive role if an opportunity emerges to move toward ending the war.
While expectations for a breakthrough remain low, the meeting will provide another rare opportunity for direct, high-level dialogue between the United States and Russia at a time when diplomatic contacts have become increasingly infrequent.
The talks come as fighting continues across Ukraine, with Russia maintaining its military offensive despite repeated international calls for a ceasefire. Whether the meeting produces any meaningful progress remains to be seen, but it signals that diplomatic channels between Washington and Moscow remain open—even as the battlefield continues to dictate the pace of the conflict.