US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States remains prepared to play a constructive role in helping bring an end to the war in Ukraine, following talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

Meeting in Manila

Rubio met with Lavrov on the sidelines of an ASEAN gathering in Manila, where they discussed the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Rubio said President Donald Trump had made clear that the United States was prepared to help facilitate an end to the war if the opportunity arose.

Rubio declined to characterize Russia’s position during the talks, but said the United States had conveyed its message to Moscow. Lavrov, for his part, reaffirmed Russia’s readiness for a political and diplomatic settlement of the conflict.

Rubio pointed to the heavy toll the conflict has exacted, including civilian deaths and Russian strikes on Kyiv. He said both Russia and Ukraine had an incentive to bring the war to an end, but the central challenge remained finding a settlement that both sides can accept.

Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.