Story perspectives

Rubio-Lavrov Meet; Russia Demands Weapon Halt, Ukraine Intensifies Drone War

7/24/2026

Summary

Rubio Meets Lavrov

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Manila on July 23, 2026 to discuss Ukraine.
Lavrov said Russia is ready for a political settlement but demanded the United States stop weapons supplies to Ukraine.
Rubio reported Russia is losing upwards of 5,000 to 6,000 soldiers weekly and said both sides want peace while the U.S. offers new ideas.

Summary

Ukraine Intensifies Offensive

On July 23, Russian airstrikes hit a food-processing plant in Pavlohrad, killing three civilians.
Ukrainian forces shot down two cruise missiles and neutralised 154 drones.
Ukrainian drone strikes in Russia and Crimea killed four, including a three-year-old boy in Voronezh.
President Donald Trump endorsed Ukraine’s long-range drone attacks on Russian energy sites as a peace path.
Army chief Mykhailo Drapatyi said Ukraine will intensify offensives behind Russian lines as Moscow gains.

History

Historical Context

After the Soviet Union’s breakup, Ukraine inherited about 1,700 nuclear warheads. On 5 December 1994 Ukraine, Russia, the United States and the United Kingdom signed the Budapest Memorandum, offering security guarantees in exchange for dismantling the arsenal, a process funded by over $300 million U.S. aid. The 2026 Manila talks between U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov revive debate over those unkept assurances.

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Rubio Meets Lavrov

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Manila on July 23, 2026 to discuss Ukraine.
Lavrov said Russia is ready for a political settlement but demanded the United States stop weapons supplies to Ukraine.
Rubio reported Russia is losing upwards of 5,000 to 6,000 soldiers weekly and said both sides want peace while the U.S. offers new ideas.

1 / 3