Rubio Says US Ready to Help End Ukraine War but No Quick Deal Is Near/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Secretary of State Marco Rubio says the United States remains prepared to help end the war in Ukraine but sees no fast route to an agreement. After meeting Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Manila, Rubio said previous negotiations had failed and that new ideas acceptable to both Moscow and Kyiv would be needed. The ASEAN gathering also focused on the Iran war, Chinese military activity and new confrontations in the South China Sea.
Quick Look
- Rubio met Lavrov during the ASEAN foreign ministers’ gathering in Manila.
- He called the Ukraine conflict a “senseless war.”
- Rubio acknowledged that previous U.S.-mediated talks were unsuccessful.
- He said Washington will continue searching for terms acceptable to both sides.
- Russia opposed further military assistance to Ukraine.
- U.S. military support for Ukraine has not changed.
- NATO allies continue buying weapons and transferring them to Kyiv.
- Zelenskyy said returning to negotiations remains a priority.
- ASEAN talks also addressed escalating U.S.-Iran fighting.
- Rubio said Iran is not ready to accept a sustainable agreement.
- Australia criticized a Chinese submarine-launched missile test.
- China defended the test as part of an annual exercise.
- Chinese and Philippine forces were involved in another South China Sea confrontation.
- ASEAN hopes to complete a regional maritime code of conduct in 2026.
Deep Look
Rubio Says No Fast Route to Ukraine Peace
MANILA, Philippines — Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the Trump administration remains willing to help end Russia’s war in Ukraine but acknowledged that negotiations are unlikely to produce a rapid agreement.
Rubio described the conflict as a “senseless war” and said diplomacy would require persistence, changed conditions and new proposals.
He discussed the war Thursday with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during an annual meeting of Association of Southeast Asian Nations foreign ministers in Manila.
Previous US Efforts Failed to Produce Agreement
Rubio characterized earlier American mediation attempts as “unsuccessful or at least unfruitful.”
He nevertheless said President Donald Trump remains committed to pursuing a negotiated settlement “if conditions and factors have changed to make that possible.”
“That’s been the challenge — an end that both sides can accept,” Rubio told reporters.
“We’ve tried and we’ll continue to try to see if we can, you know, find a middle ground that brings this about. And we’re prepared to play that role if the opportunity presents itself.”
Russia Opposes Further Weapons for Ukraine
Lavrov did not provide extensive public comments after meeting Rubio.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry said he emphasized “the unacceptability of further arming” Ukraine and accused European governments of seeking Russia’s “strategic defeat.”
According to Moscow, Lavrov reiterated Russia’s willingness to pursue “a political and diplomatic resolution of the conflict.”
He also expressed continued support for understandings reached during Trump’s 2025 summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska.
Rubio Calls for New Diplomatic Ideas
Rubio said previous proposals had failed to bridge the differences separating Russia and Ukraine.
“We’ll have to find new suggestions and new ideas” acceptable to both sides, he said.
The United States has not changed its policy on military support for Ukraine. NATO allies continue purchasing American weapons and transferring them to the country, Rubio said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy separately reiterated Thursday that returning to negotiations remains one of his leading priorities.
US Says It Remains Focused on Asia
Rubio met Lavrov, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and other officials on the sidelines of the ASEAN gathering.
He sought to reassure regional leaders that the United States remains engaged in Asia despite simultaneous crises involving Ukraine, Iran and Cuba.
“There’s always going to be a concern that America is so focused on one place that it can’t focus on another,” Rubio said.
He added that Washington remains “engaged in Asia every single day” through extensive security partnerships and economic ties.
Iran War Overshadows Ukraine Diplomacy
American attempts to negotiate an end to the Ukraine war have received less attention since the U.S.-Iran conflict began earlier in 2026.
Fighting intensified again after an interim ceasefire between Washington and Tehran collapsed.
“The price will continue to get higher every single night until they come to their senses,” Rubio said of Iran.
He asserted that Tehran is “begging” for negotiations but said Trump sees little reason to respond because “Iran is clearly not ready to make a deal, at least not one they’re willing to live by.”
Rubio Warns Iran of Heavy Consequences
Trump has threatened to destroy an Iranian bridge or power plant every time Iran attacks a ship in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded that Tehran’s defense policy would follow an “eye for an eye” principle.
“The president’s policy is a head for an eye,” Rubio said. “They will pay a very heavy price for the things they’re doing.”
The continuing attacks have disrupted shipping, increased energy prices and alarmed Asian governments that depend heavily on Middle Eastern oil and natural gas.
Australia Criticizes Chinese Missile Test
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong raised concerns about a Chinese naval test involving a missile launched from a nuclear-powered submarine.
Wong said China had failed to provide sufficient notification to the Philippines and Pacific countries near the missile’s route and landing area.
“It comes in the context of a rapid military build-up of China’s nuclear arsenal without the transparency or reassurance the region expects,” Wong said during a university event in Manila.
“This is why Australia has described the test as provocative and destabilizing.”
China defended the launch as part of its annual military exercises and said it provided appropriate advance notice to countries in the region.
Rubio and Wang Discuss Maritime Confrontation
Rubio met Wang on Wednesday and discussed a new confrontation between Chinese and Philippine forces at a disputed South China Sea shoal.
China claims nearly the entire sea, although the Philippines and several other governments hold competing territorial claims.
Rubio described the incident as “escalatory.”
“Those need to be managed very carefully, because obviously, a conflict — be it economic or otherwise — between the U.S. and China would have a dramatic global impact,” he said.
China and Philippines Offer Conflicting Accounts
China’s coast guard said it monitored, blocked and drove away two Philippine vessels after they ignored repeated warnings.
The Philippine coast guard said the vessels were delivering fuel assistance to Filipino fishermen near Scarborough Shoal when Chinese forces harassed them.
It said a Chinese coast guard vessel attempted to spray one of the boats with a high-powered water cannon but missed. The Philippines called China’s conduct “illegal, coercive and aggressive actions.”
Xi Visit to Washington Discussed
Rubio said he and Wang also discussed Chinese President Xi Jinping’s planned visit to Washington in September.
He predicted Xi would have a “very positive visit when he comes to Washington.”
The meeting is expected to address trade disputes, maritime security and broader U.S.-China relations.
ASEAN Seeks South China Sea Agreement
Taiwan and ASEAN members Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei also have claims in the South China Sea.
The disputed waters are a major global trade route and a potential flashpoint that could draw the United States into a wider confrontation.
According to a draft joint communiqué reviewed by the Associated Press, ASEAN hopes to complete negotiations with China on a nonaggression framework by the end of 2026.
The proposed code of conduct is intended to reduce the risk of military conflict and establish rules for behavior in contested waters.
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