Manila: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) foreign ministers meeting in Manila, the Philippines. The two discussed the Ukraine conflict and efforts to normalise US-Russia relations. According to TRTworld.com, Lavrov reaffirmed Russia's readiness for a "political and diplomatic settlement" of the conflict. He also mentioned that Moscow remained committed to proposals put forward by Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin during their August 2025 meeting in Alaska. Rubio emphasized the necessity of maintaining a relationship with Russia despite existing disagreements, noting the nuclear capabilities of both nations. The Russian foreign ministry stated that the two officials agreed to maintain contact. Following the meeting, Russia issued a warning to the United States against what it described as "unacceptable" arms deliveries to Ukraine. Lavrov highlighted the unacceptability of continuing to s upply weapons to Kyiv during his talks with Rubio. Meanwhile, tensions between Ukraine and Russia continue to escalate. Russian authorities reported that two people, including a three-year-old child, were killed in separate overnight Ukrainian attacks on Russia's Voronezh region and the Crimean Peninsula. In the city of Voronezh, falling drone debris sparked a fire at a home, resulting in the death of the young child. Additionally, Russia's defence ministry claimed its forces targeted infrastructure at the Ukrainian port of Odesa, accusing it of being used to handle military cargo.