Will Russia's foreign minister Lavrov meet with Rubio at ASEAN summit?

Manila, Philippines - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov confirmed he will meet with Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Manila on Thursday for talks on the wars in Ukraine and Iran.

"The meeting will be useful in any case. It's good to ask questions and get answers," Lavrov told reporters on Wednesday, confirming that the meeting – which had previously been hinted at by Rubio – will take place on Thursday.

He said the meeting would take place on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) foreign ministers' summit in Manila.

It comes shortly after Moscow condemned Washington's fresh strikes on Iran , a key ally of the Kremlin, and as US-led talks to end the war in Ukraine have largely stalled.

Rubio, who said he spoke briefly with Lavrov at a gala dinner, told reporters in Manila the two would discuss Ukraine on Thursday when asked if he planned to press Lavrov on the subject.

"The war in Ukraine, I think, has in many ways impeded the ability of Russia and the US to find areas of agreement on other topics," he said. "That doesn't mean we won't seek to find other areas of potential cooperation."

"But by the same token… we'd like to see that war come to an end," Rubio added. "So we'll raise it, and… the US remains open and willing to play a constructive role in bringing that war to an end."

On Wednesday, Rubio met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the ASEAN summit, laying crucial groundwork for a September summit in Washington between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.