Lavrov Warns Rubio Against US Arms for Kyiv as 168 Drones Hit Ukraine
Updated
Updated · Euronews · Jul 23
Lavrov Warns Rubio Against US Arms for Kyiv as 168 Drones Hit Ukraine
3 articles · Updated · Euronews · Jul 23
Summary
At an ASEAN meeting in Manila, Sergey Lavrov told Marco Rubio it was “unacceptable” for Washington to keep arming Kyiv and said Russia remained open to a political settlement.
The Kremlin said the two also discussed the Persian Gulf, where US attention has shifted as conflict with Iran continues alongside stalled diplomacy over Ukraine.
In Ukraine, a Russian aerial bomb strike on a food processing plant in Pavlohrad killed 3 people and injured dozens, according to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and regional authorities.
Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched 1 ballistic missile, 5 cruise missiles and 168 drones overnight, with 154 drones and 2 Kh-59/69 missiles shot down or neutralised.
Cross-border attacks continued as Russian officials said Ukrainian strikes killed 4 people in Crimea, Voronezh and Belgorod, after Donald Trump earlier backed Kyiv’s long-range strikes on Russian targets.
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Overview
On July 23, 2026, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met in Manila, marking a significant attempt to re-engage amid the ongoing, bloody Russia-Ukraine conflict. Both diplomats recognized the urgent need to end the war, noting that Russia and Ukraine have incentives to seek peace. However, the main challenge remains finding a settlement acceptable to both sides. Secretary Rubio stressed the importance of finding a middle ground, but the meeting mainly served to reiterate positions and explore possible solutions, rather than producing any immediate breakthroughs or new proposals.