Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told the U.S. in Manila that continued weapons shipments to Ukraine are "unacceptable," Moscow said. Marco Rubio called the meeting "a good, frank conversation" and said U.S. transfers via the PURL mechanism remain unchanged. Volodymyr Zelensky separately said he spoke with Trump envoys to try to revive peace talks, while fighting and strikes have continued on both sides, causing civilian casualties.
Lavrov Warns US Against Continued Arms Shipments To Ukraine After Manila Talks With Rubio
Sergei Lavrov (R) and Marco Rubio (L) met as Washington's focus has switched from mediating in Ukraine to dealing with Middle East war (Brendan SMIALOWSKI)
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told the United States it was "unacceptable" to continue supplying weapons to Ukraine during a Thursday meeting in Manila with his U.S. counterpart, Marco Rubio, Moscow said.
The two met on the sidelines of a Southeast Asian summit — their first encounter since September 2025 — in a roughly half-hour discussion as Washington's focus has shifted toward the war in the Middle East.
What Was Said
According to a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry, Lavrov told Rubio that continuing arms deliveries to the Kyiv government was "unacceptable." Rubio described the exchange as "a good conversation, a frank conversation," but did not provide detailed public accounts of their discussion.
Rubio on the arms shipments: "We sell weapons through PURL... There has been no change in our policy in this regard."
PURL, launched last year, is an initiative that allows Ukraine to receive U.S. equipment purchased by Washington's NATO allies. Rubio reiterated that U.S. policy on transfers through that mechanism remains unchanged.
Diplomacy And The Wider Context
Lavrov reaffirmed, in Moscow's statement, that Russia remains open to a "political-diplomatic resolution to the conflict." Shortly before the meeting, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he had spoken with envoys of former President Donald Trump — Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner — in an effort to revive stalled peace negotiations.
U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly supported some Ukrainian long-range drone strikes on Russian energy infrastructure, saying such operations could "help bring about an end" to the war.
Recent Military Developments
In recent months, Ukraine has slowed parts of Moscow's ground offensive and significantly expanded drone strikes inside Russia. Moscow, in turn, has intensified missile attacks on Kyiv, launching large salvos that are difficult to intercept while Ukraine copes with diminished air-defence stocks.
Regional authorities reported that Russian airstrikes killed three people in eastern Ukraine on Thursday, while four people were killed in separate Ukrainian attacks inside Russia and in annexed Crimea.
Broader Conversations
Rubio and Lavrov also discussed the conflict in the Middle East, the Russian Foreign Ministry said. Moscow has condemned recent U.S. strikes on Iran-linked targets, and tensions over the region were part of the broader context for the leaders' exchanges.
The meeting did not produce any public breakthroughs; both sides reiterated existing positions while indicating a continued, if cautious, openness to diplomacy.
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