US Ready To Help End Ukraine War, But No Quick Breakthrough: Rubio

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the Donald Trump administration remains ready to help end the "senseless war" in Ukraine but acknowledged that there is no quick path to a peace deal. Speaking after talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Manila on Thursday, Rubio said previous US-mediated efforts had been "unsuccessful or at least unfruitful" but stressed that President Donald Trump remained committed to pursuing diplomacy "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."

Rubio said fresh ideas would be needed to move negotiations forward while reiterating that Washington's military support for Ukraine remains unchanged, with NATO allies purchasing weapons and transferring them to Kyiv.

Meanwhile, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Lavrov told Rubio that further arming of Ukraine was unacceptable and accused European countries of seeking Russia's "strategic defeat." The ministry also said Russia remained ready for "a political and diplomatic resolution of the conflict" and committed to agreements reached during last year's summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Trump in Alaska.

Separately, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reiterated on Thursday that his priority remains returning to negotiations.

Rubio says US remains focused on Asia amid global crises

Rubio attended the annual Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Manila, where he also met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and several regional leaders.

He dismissed concerns that multiple global crises could distract Washington from Asia, saying the US remained actively engaged in the region.

"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 the US remains "engaged in Asia every single day," citing strong partnerships and economic ties across the region.

The three-day closed-door ASEAN meetings, which began on Tuesday, focused on tensions in the Middle East and the South China Sea, where another confrontation occurred on Thursday.

Rubio also said he and Wang discussed the latest clash between Chinese and Philippine forces in the disputed South China Sea, describing 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," Rubio said.

He added that they discussed Chinese President Xi Jinping's planned visit to Washington in September and expressed confidence that Xi would have a "very positive visit when he comes to Washington."

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Iran tensions and South China Sea disputes remain in focus

Rubio said US efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war had been overshadowed by renewed conflict involving Iran after an interim ceasefire collapsed.

"The price will continue to get higher every single night until they come to their senses," Rubio said, adding that Tehran was "begging" for talks but that Trump believed "Iran is clearly not ready to make a deal, at least not one they're willing to live by."

After Trump warned that the US would destroy an Iranian bridge or power plant every time Iran targeted a ship in the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi described Iran's defence doctrine as an "eye for an eye."

"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."

Meanwhile, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong criticised China's recent missile test from a nuclear-powered submarine, calling the lack of advance notification to regional countries destabilising.

"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. "This is why Australia has described the test as provocative and destabilizing."

China defended the launch as part of annual military exercises and said appropriate notice had been given.

Separately, China and the Philippines traded accusations after another confrontation near Scarborough Shoal. Beijing said its coast guard lawfully drove away two Philippine vessels, while the Philippine coast guard alleged that Chinese ships harassed fishing boats delivering fuel to Filipino fishermen and attempted to use a water cannon.

The Trump administration has repeatedly criticised China's actions in the South China Sea, where Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei also have competing territorial claims. ASEAN is aiming to conclude negotiations with China on a proposed code of conduct for the disputed waters by the end of the year.