A possible face-to-face meeting between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is being arranged during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Manila, according to Maria Zakharova, a senior official at Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The announcement was made on July 20, though earlier that day, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that Moscow and Washington had not yet established contacts to arrange such a conversation. Peskov also indicated that the Kremlin would welcome any opportunity for dialogue between Rubio and Lavrov if it could be arranged.
Zakharova stated that “Lavrov’s meeting with Rubio on the sidelines of ASEAN events in Manila is being worked out.”
Earlier, Rubio had expressed his readiness to meet both Lavrov and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the summit. The U.S. Secretary of State acknowledged he was uncertain about whether such contacts were agreed upon but emphasized that the American side was prepared for a meeting.
The ASEAN Summit will take place in Manila from July 19 to 23, with Rubio scheduled to attend throughout the event and Lavrov participating from July 21 through the 23rd.
