Rubio says U.S. is ready to help end war in Ukraine but no quick deal ahead

World Rubio says U.S. is ready to help end war in Ukraine but no quick deal ahead July 24, 20261:45 AM ET By  The Associated Press U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, left, attends a meeting with Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, right, on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Foreign Ministers Meeting in Pasay, Metro Manila on Thursday, July 23, 2026. BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/Pool AFP via AP hide caption toggle caption BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/Pool AFP via AP MANILA, Philippines — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Thursday that the Trump administration is poised to help end the "senseless war" in Ukraine but acknowledged there is no quick path to a deal, saying diplomacy will require sustained effort and new ideas. Rubio, who held talks with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in the Philippine capital, alluded to how U.S.-mediated talks have stalled. He called them "unsuccessful or at least unfruitful" in the past but insisted that President Donald Trump was committed to the work "if conditions and factors have changed to make that possible." Sponsor Message Europe The battle for control of Ukraine's military strategy "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 met Lavrov and several other leaders, including China's foreign minister, on the sidelines of an annual gathering by foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Manila. America's top diplomat said the U.S. is focused on Asia even as it steps up fighting with Iran, seeks a pathway to end Russia's war in Ukraine and pressures the Cuban government to make changes. ASEAN talks focused on international conflicts Three days of closed-door talks that started Tuesday have centered on the escalating fighting in the Middle E...