Russia's Lavrov says he'll meet Rubio in Manila on July 23, discuss Ukraine
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Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on July 22 that he is scheduled to meet U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in the Philippines the following day.
"A meeting with Rubio has already been agreed upon," Lavrov said at a press conference in Manila, which is hosting a foreign ministers' meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The news comes as the U.S.-led peace efforts in Ukraine remain effectively on pause, with Washington's attention focused on the war with Iran, and Kyiv and Moscow still far apart on territorial issues.
Russia's chief diplomat added he believes Washington has not yet rejected proposals made at last year's summit in Anchorage between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his U.S. counterpart, Donald Trump.
The demands presented to the U.S. in Alaska included Moscow's request that Washington pressure Ukraine to withdraw completely from Donbas, one person familiar with the Alaska discussions previously told the Kyiv Independent.
Ukraine has repeatedly rejected ceding strategically vital territories in Donbas, while Rubio refuted that Washington agreed to any proposals during the Alaska summit.
Lavrov also said he would ask Rubio about Trump's recent statement that a peace in Ukraine may be concluded soon.
The Kyiv Independent has reached out to the U.S. State Department for comment.
