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Duterte arrives in Russia for 3-day official visit
President Rodrigo Duterte arrived in Moscow before midnight Monday, Russia time, (4 a.m. Tuesday, PHL time) for a three-day official visit, according to a report by Joseph Morong on Unang Balita on Tuesday.
Duterte's visit was upon the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The trip is seen as a symbol of the change in the direction of the foreign affairs policy of the Philippines.
In his departure statement given in Davao before leaving for Moscow, Duterte said it was time to address what he called the Philippines' "overdependence on traditional partners."
"Russia must cease to be at the margins of Philippine diplomacy. Overdependence on traditional partners has limited our room to maneuver in a very dynamic international arena," he said.
Duterte also added that the trip was meant to boost Philippines-Russia relations to its full potential.
The trip was originally scheduled in January, and was the reason why Duterte was not able to attend US President Donald Trump's inauguration.
On Wednesday, Duterte will meet with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev.
He is then scheduled to meet Putin on Thursday.
The two leaders will have a joint press conference after their meeting.
"We will discuss ways of charting the future direction of our partnership across many areas and exchange views on regional and international issues to determine how we can best advance our shared interests," Duterte said.
According to the Department of National Defense, among those they will look into is the procurement of airplanes and firearms from Russia, as well as the supply of precision-guided missiles.
Duterte is also expected to meet the Filipino and Russian business communities.
On Wednesday, Duterte will be given an honorary doctorate degree by the Moscow State Institute of International Relations.
He is afterward expected to give a speech on his independent foreign policy.
Meanwhile, on Thursday, Duterte is scheduled to meet the Filipino community in Russia.
An estimated 5,000 Filipinos are staying in Russia. —KG, GMA News
