US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has expressed his readiness to engage in dialogue with his Russian counterpart, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, on the sidelines of the upcoming Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) events in the Philippines.
According to the Operative Information Center-OMM, citing international media reports, Rubio indicated that while a formal schedule has not been finalized, the US side is open to such a meeting.
“I am not sure that this has been finalized. But we are ready to meet with them. Of course,” Rubio stated regarding the potential engagement.
The US Department of State previously announced that Secretary Rubio is scheduled to visit Manila, the capital of the Philippines, from July 19 to 23. During this visit, he is expected to hold a series of bilateral meetings with officials from various countries in the Asia-Pacific region to discuss regional security and economic cooperation.
Maria Zakharova, the official representative of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has confirmed that Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will also be in attendance at the ASEAN events in Manila from July 21 to 23. The ASEAN Regional Forum serves as a significant diplomatic platform where major global powers frequently engage in discussions regarding regional security architectures and geopolitical tensions.
