Burc Eruygur
22 July 2026•Update: 22 July 2026
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will meet US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in the Philippines’ capital Manila on Thursday, said the top Russian diplomat.
“The meeting has already been agreed upon,” Lavrov told a Wednesday press conference in the Philippines’ capital, where he arrived on Tuesday to take part in numerous events related to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Lavrov further said that he and Rubio met briefly at a reception on Tuesday and confirmed the meeting would take place on Thursday morning.
Saying that he believes their Thursday meeting will be “useful,” Lavrov added that he will ask Rubio about US President Donald Trump’s recent statements concerning the possibility of a quick resolution to the Russia-Ukraine war.
“We proceed from the fact that, at least for now, our American colleagues have not responded by rejecting their own proposals that were voiced in Anchorage and which are now well known to everyone,” Lavrov said, referring to a meeting last August in Anchorage, Alaska between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The most recent contact between Lavrov and Rubio took place in a May phone call.
Under US mediation, Russia and Ukraine held three rounds of peace talks this January and February in a bid to find a settlement for the conflict, which is now in its fifth year.
Negotiations have since been paused, with Moscow and Kyiv attributing the halt to the US focus on Iran and the conflict which began on Feb. 28.
Rubio on Wednesday expressed his hopes for “an opening now or an opportunity for us to play a constructive role” during his expected meeting with Lavrov, adding that “there are other areas that the US and Russia can cooperate on”
Noting that the two countries “are the two largest nuclear-armed countries on the planet,” Rubio said: “For us not to talk would be reckless and irresponsible. We have to have a relationship with the Russian government, even though we have areas of disagreement.”
“In the case of Ukraine, perhaps an opportunity to, if we can play a constructive role, to bring it to an end. So you know, I'm sure that'll come up tomorrow. There's no doubt. But we'll talk about some other stuff too,” he added.
Strait of Hormuz tensions
Commenting on tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, Lavrov said it is "difficult to speculate" about how long they would last.
"But I have a feeling that continuing hostilities is not in the interests of either the United States or Iran," Lavrov said, describing rumors in the West that Russia and China are directly supplying Iran with weapons as "embarrassing to hear."
Lavrov said Moscow wants an end to tensions around the Strait of Hormuz. "This affects the global economy, and Russia is part of the global economy; despite all the sanctions, most countries in the world remain our trade, economic, and investment partners," he said.
He also said the conflict has led some political circles in Iran to advocate adding a military component to the country's nuclear program.
"I say this with great regret, because this is one of the consequences of the aggressive actions that the United States and a number of its allies are trying to implement in world politics, trying to maintain their dominance," he said.
The US has carried out a series of strikes across Iran since last week, while Tehran has responded with attacks targeting facilities and bases it said are used by the US military in several countries across the region.
The exchange of fire has continued despite a Pakistani-brokered framework agreement signed by the US and Iran in June to end the war that began in February and pave the way for a lasting peace deal.
Lavrov also commented on reports that Trump approved a landmark agreement with Saudi Arabia that would provide the country with a civilian nuclear program.
"Permission is not required because uranium enrichment for peaceful purposes is the right of any state party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons," he said.
