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However, Rubio says he doesn’t recognize the statements.
Diplomatic talks usually start behind closed doors. Long before anyone signs a formal deal, officials spend months hammering out tiny details.
A quick sit-down in Southeast Asia shows just how tough that road remains.
Sparks in Manila
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov sat down for a half-hour chat in the Philippines during regional meetings.
Lavrov allegedly warned Washington to stop sending weapons to Ukraine. According to Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, Moscow views continued arms shipments as completely “unacceptable.”
Moscow also slammed European nations, accusing them of trying to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia.
Pushing for peace
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio quickly pushed back against Moscow’s version of the sit-down. He rejected the Russian claims.
The Guardian reported that Rubio told reporters he did not recognise the statements coming from Russian officials, adding that US policy on arms supplies has not changed.
Even so, Washington remains eager to help end the bloody conflict.
“We want a peace deal. We want the war to end. We’re prepared to play whatever positive role we can to end the war, and that in order to end this war will require something that both Russia and Ukraine can agree to,” Rubio said.
Long road ahead
Finding common ground will not happen overnight. “That’s not going to happen at a press conference. That’s not going to happen in one meeting here in the Philippines. That’s going to require a lot of work,” Rubio noted after the meeting.
He made clear that the US administration wants to save lives on both sides. Thousands of young soldiers continue to die every week on the battlefield.
“He thinks it’s a stupid war. He thinks it’s a senseless war. And if we can play a role in bringing it to an end, we’re going to use the power and influence of the United States to do so,” Rubio said, referring to the president’s stance.
