The U.S. Secretary of State wants to bolster defense ties in the Indo-Pacific, while distrust of Trump’s commitments to the region, particularly on economic issues, runs deep.

President Marcos and US President Donald Trump will have their first bilateral meeting in Washington “in a few days,” US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Thursday. Rubio made the disclosure at the foreign ministers’ summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) in Kuala Lumpur that was also attended by his counterparts,

During a press gaggle on Friday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio was asked a question about Taiwan.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio met counterparts in Southeast Asia during his first visit to the region since taking office.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov Thursday in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is seen speaking to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov ahead of the East Asia Summit as part of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Kuala Lumpur on Friday. IM

Rubio and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held talks in Kuala Lumpur on the sidelines of the annual Association of Southeast Asian Nations Regional Forum, which brings together 10 ASEAN members and their most important diplomatic partners including Russia, China, Japan, South Korea, European nations and the U.S.

After a high-stakes meeting at the ASEAN summit, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio revealed that Russia has presented 'a new and different approach' to ending the war in Ukraine. Rubio said that the proposal doesn’t guarantee peace but will be taken directly to US President Donald Trump for review.