Duterte flies to Russia to seek enhanced ties with Putin
Enhancing the country's ties with Russia will be high on the agenda of President Duterte when he visits Moscow this week.
The President was scheduled to depart Manila Tuesday afternoon for his visit to the cities of Moscow and Sochi until October 5. This will be his second trip to Russia after his May 2017 visit which was cut short by the deadly terror siege in Marawi City.
Duterte's visit includes meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, Jordanian King Abdullah II, and chess grandmaster Anatoly Karpov.
"The highlight of the trip will be the President’s bilateral meeting with President Putin where they will discuss the state of our bilateral relations and how both sides can further enhance and expand our cooperation in various areas," Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary for European Affairs Amelita Aquino said during a recent Palace press briefing.
The two leaders will also exchange views on regional and global developments and other issues during their fourth meeting. Duterte and Putin last held talks at the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Vietnam in November, 2017.
Based on his tentative schedule, the President will hold a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Medvedev in Moscow on Wednesday. Igor Sechin, head of Russian oil giant Rosneft, is scheduled to pay a courtesy call on the President afterwards.
On Thursday, the President is expected to
meet with two world leaders on the sidelines of the Valdai forum in the Russian resort city of Sochi.
Duterte will first hold talks with Putin to strengthen bilateral relations and witness the signing of a number of bilateral pacts on areas of cooperation such as culture, health, and basic research, among others.
A bilateral meeting with Jordanian King Abdullah II has also been arranged on the sidelines of the Valdai forum. Duterte last met with the Jordanian King in September 2018 when he visited Amman to renew the country's ties with Jordan.
The President is scheduled to speak before the Valdai forum which will be attended by politicians and experts from across the world to tackle the topic “The World Order Seen From the East.”
From Sochi, the President is expected to return to Moscow to speak before a Philippine-Russia business forum on Friday afternoon.
Prior to the business meeting, Duterte will lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier to honor the memory of fallen soldiers. He will also be given a walking tour of the Kremlin.
On Friday night, the President will attend the Philippine cultural gala performance featuring the Bayanihan Dance Company and the Philippine Madrigal Singers at the Four Seasons Hotel in Moscow.
On Saturday, the President is expected to meet with former world chess champion Anton Karpov at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations University (MGIMO). An honorary doctorate degree will be conferred on the President by the university. Duterte is expected to deliver remarks at MGIMO, one of Russia's prestigious schools in the area of diplomacy and international affairs.
The President's final activity in Moscow will be a meeting with the Filipino community. He is expected to return to Davao on Saturday.