US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov meet for their first in-person talks since September in Manila, according to reports from multiple outlets. The discussions focus on the war in Ukraine. One report says the agenda reflects a shift in Russia’s position, including abandoning the idea of a territorial swap with Ukraine and emphasizing plans to keep occupied areas along parts of the border as a buffer zone. Another report highlights that Lavrov’s remarks describe Ukraine and the Middle East as key topics for the meeting, indicating Washington and Moscow will also address wider regional conflicts alongside Ukraine. Across the sources, there is agreement that this is the first face-to-face meeting between the two top diplomats since September and that it takes place in Manila. The outlets do not provide details on specific proposals or negotiation outcomes, but they describe the meeting as an opportunity for the two sides to exchange positions on ongoing conflicts, with Ukraine at the center of the agenda.