Ankara: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrived in the Philippine capital, Manila, to participate in a series of meetings hosted by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

According to Anadolu Agency, Lavrov is scheduled to attend ASEAN-related events from July 21 to 23. These include the Russia-ASEAN ministerial meeting, the East Asia Summit foreign ministers' gathering, and the ASEAN Regional Forum. The meetings will bring together the foreign ministers of the bloc's 11 member states and senior diplomats from dialogue partners, including China, Russia, the US, Japan, India, and the EU.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio are also expected to participate in the Manila meetings. A potential meeting between Lavrov and Rubio could take place on the sidelines of the events, as both Moscow and Washington have indicated openness to contacts between the two top diplomats, though no formal meeting had been confirmed as of Monday.

Regional discussions are anticipated to focus on the conflict in Myanmar, tensions in the South China Sea, and disruptions to global trade and energy supplies due to instability in the Middle East. ASEAN, founded in 1967, includes Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and Timor-Leste.