U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will hold formal talks on Thursday in Manila, after both diplomats signaled openness to encounters on the sidelines of the ASEAN meetings.
Rubio plans to raise the war in Ukraine and discuss how Washington can play a constructive role in ending it, while also noting that the U.S. and Russia can cooperate in other areas. Lavrov, who confirmed the meeting for Wednesday in Manila, said the wars in Ukraine and Iran are expected to dominate the agenda. The Russian foreign minister called the upcoming session "definitely useful," adding that it offers a chance to ask questions and receive answers.