Rubio and Lavrov Discuss Ukraine: US Has Not Withdrawn Anchorage Proposals

US and Russian delegations held a 37-minute meeting in Manila, focusing on the war in Ukraine and the Middle East situation, according to Russian and American officials.

Meeting Details in Manila

According to the TASS agency, the delegations of both countries left the meeting room shortly after 12:30 local time, with the meeting lasting 37 minutes. Only a short video showing Lavrov and Rubio sitting at the table appeared online.

The main topic was reportedly the situation in Ukraine. According to earlier announcements, both sides were to discuss peace proposals, but at this point, it is unknown what specific proposals were made. The topic of the situation in the Middle East was also expected to be raised during the talks.

Lavrov on Anchorage Proposals

From Russia’s perspective, the US has not withdrawn the Anchorage proposals, stated Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

Moscow’s premise is that Washington has not yet withdrawn the proposals presented in Anchorage during the Trump-Putin meeting in Alaska, the Russian foreign minister further announced.

ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting Context

Both Sergey Lavrov and Marco Rubio are participating in the meeting of foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. This is a political and economic organization uniting 11 countries of the region, including the Philippines, Indonesia, and Vietnam.

Although the US and Russia are not formally part of it, their representatives, like representatives of the EU or China, participate in some of its initiatives. This year, the organization’s forum is discussing, among other things, the war in Iran and the resulting difficulties for the global economy.

Diplomatic Contacts and Future Role

According to the head of the Russian MFA, Rubio and Lavrov managed to speak briefly on Wednesday during one of the ceremonies at the summit in Manila. Rubio, in turn, conveyed that the US is looking for opportunities to play a constructive role in the process of ending the war in Ukraine.

The Anchorage Formula Background

The Anchorage formula likely refers to the talks between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump that took place on August 15, 2025, in Alaska. The following day, the US president conveyed information about Moscow’s demands regarding Donbas to Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders.

The United States has never officially confirmed that any agreement regarding the war was reached in Anchorage. Russia has repeatedly invoked the theme of the alleged agreement in its messaging and reiterated that the US broke the promises presented.