U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged no quick deal to end the war in Ukraine is in sight after meeting Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Wednesday in Manila, following earlier signals both sides were open to an encounter.
Rubio called previous U.S.-mediated efforts "unsuccessful or at least unfruitful," while stressing President Donald Trump remains committed to a political solution if conditions change. Lavrov reiterated Russia's readiness for diplomatic resolution and cited commitments from last year's Putin-Trump Alaska summit, while Moscow pressed its opposition to further arming Ukraine. Rubio described Russian weekly battlefield deaths at 5,000 to 6,000, calling it one of history's rare conflicts where fatalities exceed injuries.
Beyond Ukraine, Rubio warned Iran of a "head for an eye" response and discussed South China Sea altercations with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, predicting a positive Washington visit by Xi Jinping in September.