Rubio: Ukraine peace needs 'new ideas' after Lavrov talks
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said ending the war in Ukraine will require "new ideas," after meeting Russia's Sergey Lavrov in Manila. Rubio said Washington remains ready to help broker peace if conditions allow, while stressing any deal must be acceptable to both sides.
Key Takeaways
- Rubio and Lavrov held a brief meeting in Manila on the sidelines of an ASEAN gathering on 23 July 2026.
- Rubio argued past proposals were unacceptable to Ukraine and that fresh concepts are needed to break the deadlock.
- Moscow said Lavrov reaffirmed readiness for a diplomatic settlement and objected to continued arms supplies to Kyiv.
- Rubio declined to endorse Russia's readout and said US policy on the war has not changed.
What did Rubio and Lavrov discuss about Ukraine?
The top US and Russian diplomats met in Pasay, Metro Manila, during Association of Southeast Asian Nations foreign ministers' events. Russian media said the sit-down lasted just over half an hour. It was their first encounter since September 2025, according to reporting on the Russian readout.
Speaking afterward, Rubio described "a good conversation, a frank conversation" about what he called a "very bloody" and "senseless war." He said both Russia and Ukraine have incentives to stop fighting, but the hard part is finding an end "that both sides can accept."
According to Russia's Foreign Ministry, Lavrov restated Moscow's readiness for a political and diplomatic settlement and said Russia remained committed to proposals from the August 2025 Trump-Putin meeting in Alaska. The ministry also said Lavrov called continued weapons supplies to Kyiv "unacceptable" and criticized European policy aimed at a "strategic defeat" of Russia.
Why does Rubio say "new ideas" matter now?
Rubio told reporters that earlier ideas put forward were "not acceptable to Ukraine at the time, and I don't think it'd be acceptable to them either; in fact, probably less acceptable to them." He added that if peace comes, it will be "because of some new idea and some new concepts," and that the US is prepared to offer those "in the right setting and form if the opportunity presents itself and the conditions are right."
He framed Washington's role as constructive facilitation rather than a one-meeting fix. "That's not going to happen at a press conference. That's not going to happen in one meeting here in the Philippines," Rubio said, arguing sustained work would be required. He also said President Donald Trump views the conflict as a "stupid war" and wants people to stop dying on both sides.
Asked about the Russian statement on arms deliveries, Rubio said he did not recognize those characterizations and that there had been no change in US policy, while reiterating the goal of a peace deal both sides can accept.
Where do talks stand after the Manila meeting?
Diplomacy aimed at ending the conflict has been largely stalled, with US attention also focused on the Middle East and Moscow still pressing territorial demands on Kyiv, Al Jazeera reported. On Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he had "a good, important conversation on how to reinvigorate diplomacy" with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
Rubio said the US will "continue to try to see if we can find a middle ground" and remains ready to use American influence if an opening appears. For wider coverage of geopolitics intersecting with emerging tech and security trends, see our Future Tech & AI Wonders hub. A detailed live account of Rubio's remarks is available from The Guardian.
The Manila exchange did not produce a breakthrough, but it underlined Washington's public pitch: keep channels open, push for terms both sides might one day accept, and wait for conditions that make fresh proposals viable.