The Latest: Tillerson says Russia willing to discuss Ukraine

U.S. State Secretary Rex Tillerson gestures before the 10th Lower Mekong Initiative Ministerial Meeting, part of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Regional Forum in Manila, Philippines, Sunday Aug. 6, 2017. (Mohd Rasfan/Pool Photo via AP)

U.S. State Secretary Rex Tillerson gestures before the 10th Lower Mekong Initiative Ministerial Meeting, part of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Regional Forum in Manila, Philippines, Sunday Aug. 6, 2017. (Mohd Rasfan/Pool Photo via AP)

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The Latest on U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in the Philippines (all times local):

11:30 a.m.

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson says Russia is showing “some willingness” to start talking about a resolution to the crisis in Ukraine.

Tillerson made the comment after meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. After the meeting, the Russian diplomat announced that the Trump administration was sending its new special representative for Ukraine negotiations to Moscow for talks.

Tillerson says the U.S. has been deliberate about coordinating with all the parties involved in the crisis. He says that’s to avoid the perception the U.S. is trying to cut a side deal that would undermine any group’s interests.

Tillerson says the U.S. has deep differences with Russia including on Ukraine, but that it’s not a good idea to “just cut everything off on one single issue.”

He says the U.S. and Russia still have important national security issues to discuss.

ADVERTISEMENT

___

10:30 a.m.

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson says the U.S. will respond by Sept. 1 to Russia’s move to force a major reduction in American diplomatic staff.

Tillerson is speaking to reporters during a visit to the Philippines. He says he communicated U.S. plans to respond by that deadline to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in their meeting in Manila on Sunday.

Tillerson says he told Lavrov that the U.S. still hasn’t decided how it will respond. He says he asked Lavrov “several clarifying questions” about the act of Russian retaliation in response to new sanctions passed by Congress.

Russia said recently it was forcing the U.S. to cut its embassy and consulate staff in Russia by 755 people. But there’s been confusion because the U.S. is believed to have far fewer than 755 American employees in Russia.

___

8:20 p.m.

Russia is anticipating difficulties in ensuring a cease-fire in the last of the four safe zones in Syria.

That’s what Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (sir-GAY’ lahv-RAWF’) has said in televised comments after his meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in Manila on Sunday.

Russia, Iran and Turkey agreed on a plan in May to establish four “de-escalation” zones in Syria, and they pressed the Syrian air force to halt flights over those areas.

Russia and Iran back Syrian President Bashar Assad. Turkey supports rebels fighting Syrian government forces.

Lavrov says he thinks “it will be difficult” to hammer out the details of the truce around the Syrian town of Idlib. He says Moscow hopes for a compromise to ensure the cease-fire if each country that wields influence in Syria — including the United States — can get the armed groups to comply.

___

7:50 p.m.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (sir-GAY’ lahv-RAWF’) says U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has asked him for details about Moscow’s recent action to retaliate against American sanctions.

Lavrov — who met with Tillerson in the Philippines on Sunday — says he explained how Russia will carry out its response. But Lavrov isn’t giving out details.

The Kremlin says the U.S. must cut its embassy and consulate staff in Russia by 755 people. But there’s been confusion because the U.S. is believed to have far fewer than 755 American employees in the country.

Russia also closed a U.S. recreational retreat on the outskirts of Moscow.

Lavrov says he met with Tillerson because there’s no alternative to dialogue.

There’s no immediate reaction to the meeting from the U.S. side.

___

7:30 p.m.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (sir-GAY’ lahv-RAWF’) says President Donald Trump’s special representative for Ukraine negotiations will soon make his first trip to Moscow.

Lavrov says U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson made that commitment during their meeting Sunday in the Philippines.

Lavrov says American Kurt Volker will travel to Russia to discuss the conflict in eastern Ukraine. Volker will meet with Vladislav Surkov, the Russian envoy for the Ukraine crisis.

The Trump administration named Volker to the position in July. Volker made his first trip to eastern Ukraine last month.

Lavrov also says Tillerson agreed to continue a dialogue between U.S. Undersecretary of State Thomas Shannon and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov. That channel was created to address hot spots, but Russia suspended it after the U.S. tightened sanctions on Russia.

___

6 p.m.

The top American and Russian diplomats are meeting for the first time since President Donald Trump reluctantly signed into law a package of new sanctions targeting Moscow.

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (sir-GAY’ lahv-RAWF’) are sitting down in Manila, Philippines, on the sidelines of a regional gathering.

The two diplomats smiled and exchanged pleasantries but made no substantive remarks as journalists were allowed in briefly for the start of their meeting.