Side trip to Manila

Perhaps, it was just coincidental that Zelensky’s trip to Manila took place on the 48th anniversary of Philippines-Russia ties.

The visit here of President Volodymyr Zelensky, whose country has been in a state of war to push out invading Russian forces, came full circle of sorts for Philippines-Russia relations. Zelensky met and held official talks with President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. (PBBM) at Malacañang Palace last Monday. They bumped into each other in Singapore where they attended together the just concluded 21st International Institute for Strategic Studies Shangri-La Dialogue.

Zelensky’s leadership was tested in fighting off the Russian invasion of Ukraine. It won him acclaim across the globe, if not popular support from the United States (US) and the European Union (EU). Wearing his usual battle-ready attire of military fatigue pants and black collared shirt, Zelensky flew here over the weekend along with a small group of Ukraine officials composed of his closest top Cabinet advisers. Since it was obviously a “working visit” organized on short notice, the usual protocols were done away with at Malacañang.

Ukraine is a former member of the disbanded Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), or Soviet Union for short. Founded in 1922, Ukraine was one of the 15 countries in Eastern Europe and Asia until its break up in 1991. It was on June 2, 1976 when PBBM’s namesake father, the late Ferdinand Sr., paid the first official visit to Moscow that led to the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and the Soviet Union.

On the other hand, diplomatic ties between the Philippines and Ukraine span 32 years since it was formally established on April 7, 1992. But neither country has a resident ambassador. Thus, on their first ever official meeting, Zelensky told PBBM: “And I am also very happy that this year we will open embassy in Manila, that’s very good decision.” PBBM welcomed it as “good news” to strengthen the bilateral relations of the two countries.

Perhaps, it was just co-incidental that Zelensky’s trip to Manila took place on the 48th anniversary of Philippines-Russia ties.

In his tete-a-tete with PBBM at Malacañang, Zelensky thanked the Philippines “for supporting Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, for its clear position on Russia’s aggression against our country and for supporting important UN resolutions.”

The ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War actually started way back in 2014. On Feb. 24, 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine that escalated their armed conflict into a full blown war.

The Ukraine-Russia war erupted while the Philippines was still coming out of the economic woes brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic that broke out in March 2020. Both the Ukraine-Russia war and the pandemic events took place during the term of former president Rodrigo Duterte, who had publicly hailed President Vladimir Putin for Russia’s help to the Philippines. Putin became endeared to ex-president Duterte for Russia’s weapons assistance in helping quell the so-called Marawi siege in Lanao del Sur.

The Marawi siege was the armed conflict that dragged on for five months. It began on May 23, 2017 in a military attempt to capture wanted terrorist leader Isnilon Hapilon, whose bandit group have pledged loyalty to the Islamic State (IS) terror group in the Middle East. On that day, former president Duterte was on a state visit in Moscow. It was cut short after Mr. Duterte decided to immediately return to the Philippines to personally attend to the brewing national security crisis in Mindanao.

Before he left the Kremlin though, Mr. Duterte had a quick meeting with Putin. He asked for a soft loan from Russia hours before he left for Manila. Mr. Duterte explained to Putin the Philippine government needed money to buy firearms. It was after the rifle deal of the Philippine National Police (PNP) with the US had been scrapped. The US State Department halted the sale of some 26,000 rifles to the PNP after the US Congress raised issues about the Duterte administration’s human rights record. The foul-mouthed Mr. Duterte spewed vitriols at then US president Barack Obama.

Demonstrating his personal friendship with Putin, Mr. Duterte flew again to Moscow in October 2019. He held talks with Putin in Sochi city on expanding cooperation in security and defense and combatting terrorism, extremism and cross-border crimes. Becoming virtual phone pals, the close ties of the two leaders got further cemented during the pandemic period. They had a tele-summit on June 2, 2021 as part of commemorative activities on the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Russia. Mr. Duterte thanked Putin for making Sputnik V vaccines available to the Philippines. At that time, the Philippines received 80,000 Sputnik V anti-COVID doses.

Fast forward. Now 46 years old, Zelensky is supposed to be up for re-election for a second term in office to be held in Ukraine in March or April 2024. He is a former comedian turned politician who won a landslide victory on an anti-corruption platform against the incumbent president in the 2019 elections in Ukraine. Following the Russian invasion last year, the Ukrainian government imposed martial law. Under Ukrainian law, presidential elections are not allowed when martial law is in effect.

Just last March this year, 71-year-old Putin won a landslide reelection victory in Russia. Putin took 87 percent of the votes after a three-day election derided by government critics and the West as neither free nor fair. Putin was first named president in 1999. Russia’s constitution limited the president to two consecutive terms. That’s why, after his second term ended in 2008, he served as prime minister before becoming president again in 2012. However, Putin drafted a constitutional amendment that allowed him to remain president for two more terms after it was approved in a national referendum in July 2020.

The Ukrainian leader has been making a personal campaign for the Global Peace Summit while accusing Russia and China of trying to undermine it. The side trip to Manila of Zelensky was to personally invite PBBM for the Philippines to join the peace summit to be held this month in Switzerland.

Thus, the signals are clear. By accepting Zelensky’s invitation, we know who PBBM sides with in this conflict.