Russia's Lavrov says he will meet Rubio to discuss Ukraine on 23 July

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said he will meet US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Manila, the capital of the Philippines, on 23 July.

Source: Russian news agency Interfax, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Lavrov said the meeting will take place on the morning of 23 July.

"The meeting with Rubio has been agreed upon," he said at a press conference in Manila.

He also said that Moscow proceeds from the assumption that Washington has not yet withdrawn the proposals it put forward in Anchorage.

"We proceed from the assumption that at least for now our American colleagues have not withdrawn their own proposals, which were made and which are now well known to everyone, since there have been many comments," the Russian foreign minister said.

"As regards President Trump's prediction about a settlement (of the war in Ukraine – ed.) drawing closer: I will ask Marco Rubio about it tomorrow," he added.

Rubio and Lavrov are visiting Manila to attend events of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Background:

• In June, Rubio stated that there were no agreements regarding Ukraine during last year's summit in Anchorage between US President Donald Trump and Kremlin ruler Vladimir Putin.
• He said this after Russian ruler's aide Yuri Ushakov and Lavrov accused the US of betraying the so-called "spirit of Anchorage".
• Lavrov also said US actions show Washington is no longer seeking to present itself as an impartial mediator in the Russia-Ukraine war.
• The phrase "spirit of Anchorage" (also referred to as the "Anchorage understanding") has long served as a key element of Russian diplomacy and propaganda. The Kremlin used the term to promote its belief that Trump supported Russia's main demand: the handing over of the entire Donbas to Moscow in exchange for freezing the line of contact. Although the US has never officially confirmed that any such agreement existed, Russia has repeatedly used the phrase to create the impression that Washington had accepted these terms.

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