Russian FM arrives in Manila to attend ASEAN events
MOSCOW. July 21 (Interfax) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will attend foreign ministers' meetings as part of the Russia-Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) format, the East Asia Summit (EAS) and the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) on Security in Manila on July 21-23.
Lavrov will traditionally hold a series of meetings with counterparts from different countries on the sidelines of the ASEAN events. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said earlier that Lavrov's meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is being worked on.
During the upcoming meetings, Russia intends "once again to draw the attention of regional partners to the risks associated with the Western 'Indo-Pacific project' and its narrative of the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific security being indivisible - a narrative used by the West as an ideological justification for NATO expansion into Asia," the ministry said in a statement ahead of Lavrov's visit to the Philippines.
"We highlight the potentially adverse consequences of building a new military-political architecture in the Asia-Pacific region along bloc-based lines," the statement said.
"Against a backdrop of rising geopolitical tensions, the Russia-ASEAN strategic partnership is an important factor in upholding regional stability. Moscow regards ASEAN as a key partner in shaping a multipolar world order," it said.
This year marks the 35th anniversary of Russia-ASEAN relations. The Russia-ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on July 22 will outline practical steps to implement the decisions of the Russia-ASEAN anniversary summit, held in Kazan on June 18, in all areas of bilateral cooperation in line with the new 2026-2030 Comprehensive Plan of Action to Implement Russia-ASEAN Strategic Partnership, the statement said.
The East Asia Summit provides a platform for Asia-Pacific leaders' dialogue on strategic issues, including ways to strengthen the regional security architecture, the statement said. The economy, energy, environmental protection, healthcare, maritime cooperation, disaster response, food security, education, and regional connectivity are among the sides' cooperation priorities, it said.
Discussions at the upcoming EAS Foreign Ministers' meeting on July 23 will focus on preparations for the 21st EAS Summit in Manila in November 2026, it said. The agenda also includes a review of interim progress under the 2024-2028 Action Plan, as well as an exchange of views on current regional and international issues, it said.
"We view the ARF as an important forum for developing confidence-building measures and preventive diplomacy tools, as well as for discussing current issues facing Asia-Pacific countries," the Russian Foreign Ministry said earlier.
The participants in the forum's 33rd Ministerial Session will discuss ways to enhance its effectiveness and profile within the regional architecture and will adopt an updated policy document - the ARF Manila Action Plan for 2026-2036, it said.
