Zelenskiy says he spoke with Marcos on deepening Ukraine-Philippines ties

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Monday said he has spoken with President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos in "the first phone call" between the two leaders.

"Had the first phone call in the history of bilateral relations with President of the Philippines @bongbongmarcos," Zelenskiy said in a tweet.

"Thanked him for supporting sovereignty & territorial integrity of Ukraine. We discussed further deepening of cooperation, in particular on international platforms."

Had the first phone call in the history of bilateral relations with President of the Philippines @bongbongmarcos. Thanked him for supporting sovereignty & territorial integrity of ????????. We discussed further deepening of cooperation, in particular on international platforms.

— ????????? ?????????? (@ZelenskyyUa) February 13, 2023

GMA News Online has reached out to Malacañang for comment.

Last month, Denys Mykhailiuk, chargé d’affaires of the Embassy of Ukraine in Malaysia, said that Ukraine had been requesting a phone call between Zelenskiy and Marcos since the latter’s election in June 2022, but that it had yet to receive any response from the Palace.

The Department of Affairs slammed the remark, saying it was not appreciated. Mykhailiuk later clarified his remarks, saying he had not been complaining, and apologized to the DFA.

Marcos, meanwhile, said later that his government would have no problem engaging with Zelenskiy, and that he supports "any effort toward peace."

Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February, 24, 2022, in what its President Vladimir Putin claimed is a "special military operation" to "de-Nazify" the country.

The invasion has been denounced by most countries, including the Philippines. — BM, GMA Integrated News