Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday refused to reveal what he discussed in a closed-door meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, telling reporters in Manila that diplomacy collapses when its details are broadcast over a microphone.
Rubio spoke to reporters on the sidelines of the ASEAN foreign ministers’ meeting in Pasay, Metro Manila, following a meeting with Lavrov that, according to Russian state media, lasted about 35 minutes. Asked whether he had made progress on Ukraine, the secretary of state rejected the premise and then the request, according to a transcript released by the State Department.
“I mean, do you think we solved the war in Ukraine in our 30 minutes here in Asia? That’s not the way it works,” Rubio said. “I’m not going to tell you what we talked about, because diplomacy doesn’t work well when you then run to the microphones.”
The top US diplomat said Washington remains willing to play a constructive role in ending what he called “a senseless war” and that the message had also been conveyed in other meetings.
A journalist then asked him if he had raised Russia’s alleged sharing of targeting information with Iran.
“Well, who says they are?” Rubio responded.
“Isn’t that right?” said the journalist.
“Who says they are?”
The journalist pointed to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who told the Senate Appropriations Committee this week that Moscow and Beijing are “enabling some of the things that Iran is doing.” Hegseth declined to describe the scale of that assistance when questioned by Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND).
Rubio said that was a different question and pressed the reporter about his source.
“Report in the media?” asked.
“Yes,” said the journalist.
“Oh, so it must be true,” Rubio said. “If it appears in the media, it’s a leak. I’m not going to, let me say, imagine that that was true. I certainly wouldn’t discuss it in the press.”
He added that nothing Iran or its supporters are doing has increased the regime’s ability to attack Americans.
The exchange followed a Reuters report on Wednesday alleging that U.S. analysts are examining whether Russia supplied navigation or drone technology used in Iranian attacks on CIA facilities in the Gulf, citing four people familiar with the matter. Analysts have not reached any firm conclusions, according to the report.
The secretary maintained the same line in other files. Asked which governments had accepted Iranian requests for talks, Rubio said he would not say.
“I would be betraying your confidences,” he said.
When pressed later for specific details about the administration’s Cuba policy, he cut off the question.
“Do you want me to give you details about our plan? Okay, not today. No, I’m not going to do that.”
