Sri Lanka's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath, held separate bilateral meetings with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the 2026 ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Ministerial Meeting in Manila.
During his meeting with Secretary Rubio, the two sides discussed ways to further strengthen bilateral relations and expand cooperation in areas of mutual interest.
Minister Herath also met with Sergio Boor, the U.S. Ambassador to India and Special Representative for South and Central Asia, where discussions focused on enhancing long-standing bilateral ties, including trade and economic cooperation. The officials also explored potential U.S. support for Sri Lanka's successful dengue prevention and control programmes.
Minister Herath's meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov centered on further strengthening bilateral cooperation between Sri Lanka and Russia. The discussions also highlighted preparations for the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries, which will be commemorated next year.
According to Sri Lanka's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the meetings reaffirmed the country's commitment to expanding international partnerships and deepening cooperation with key global partners across a range of sectors.
