Marco Rubio says "the need to end the Russia-Ukraine war" amid talks with Lavrov

During the ASEAN ministerial gathering in Manila, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, and both officials said the conversation addressed their bilateral relationship and the war in Ukraine, with Washington urging a settlement and noting that peace would also serve Russian interests. The Russian foreign ministry posted a notice confirming the encounter. Prior to the meeting, Rubio told reporters that the conflict has hampered cooperation between the two countries but that the United States remains willing to engage in dialogue and explore possible areas of collaboration. The talks come as the United States continues to press for an end to the fighting while keeping diplomatic channels with Moscow open.