MANILA — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday expressed gratitude to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on the Philippines’ clear position on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine’s territories and for its support to the United Nations (UN) resolutions.
“Thank you so much, Mr. President [and] your team. Very happy to be [here for] the first time in the Philippines, I’m sure not last,” President Zelenskyy told President Marcos during their meeting in Malacañang.
“Thank you for this invitation. And we’re very thankful to be in your country and — which supports Ukraine in our territorial integrity and sovereignty. Thank you so much [for] your big word and clear position with our task about this Russia occupation of our territories. And thank you on your support in the UN Nations with your resolutions,” Zelenskyy said.
President Zelenskyy arrived in Manila Sunday evening for a one-day working visit after his appearance at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. He arrived at the Malacañang Palace before 9:00 am on Monday where he met with President Marcos.
Last year, the Philippines renewed its call for Russia and Ukraine to settle their conflict through diplomacy. It pronounced its principled stance on Ukraine and has consistently voted in favor of six UN resolutions on Ukraine, with the last highlighting “the need for a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace in Ukraine.”
The Philippines supported the remaining five UN resolutions reaffirming the country’s support for the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of Ukraine and other UN member states.
The Ukrainian leader said he was happy to hear from Marcos on his intention to participate in Ukraine’s basic steps to the peace wanted by the Ukrainian people — “to bring peace to our homes.”
The Ukrainian leader also thanked President Marcos for the Philippines’ participation to the Peace Summit, which the Ukrainian leader said “sends very strong signal,” and with the backing of multiple nations, it’s the first very strong step on the way to peace.
Zelenskyy also noted that Ukraine will open an embassy in Manila this year.
For his part, President Marcos assured Zelenskyy that the Philippines will continue to do all that it can to promote peace, to come to a political resolution to the war, and to bring an end to the fighting,
“I think everybody fully understands that it is easier said than done, and it will be a difficult road to find our way back to the situation that is morally acceptable not only to Ukraine but to the rest of the world,” said President Marcos.
“So, we have ourselves been trying to promote the continuing adherence to international law in our part of the world. The issues that you are facing are similar and in parallel to ours. And therefore the position the Philippines takes is always to promote peace and to do everything that we can to promote that peace,” he pointed out.
As to Ukraine’s embassy opening in the Philippines, President Marcos said it is “certainly very good news” because the country likes to continue helping Ukraine in any way through the multilateral institutions like the UN and even through other agencies such as the European Union (EU).
The Russia-Ukraine War began in February 2014 with Russia’s invasion of the Ukrainian autonomous republic of Crimea.
Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Although Russia made significant gains in the first days of combat its forces were rebuffed by Ukrainian defenders in their attempts to seize Kyiv and other major cities.
The fighting is raging for more than two years and has brought tremendous devastation and catastrophic human toll on both sides. (PND)
