MANILA. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a surprise visit to Manila on Monday, aiming to garner support for a Swiss-organized global peace summit focused on the war in Ukraine. He accused Russia, with China’s assistance, of attempting to undermine the summit.
Arriving late Sunday under heavy security after speaking at the Shangri-La defense forum in Singapore, Zelenskyy was welcomed with military honors at the presidential palace. He then met with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. before departing the Philippines.
President Marcos pledged the Philippines’ participation in the peace summit, as confirmed by Philippine Communications Secretary Cheloy Garafil. “I’m happy to hear today from you that you’ll participate in our peace steps,” Zelenskyy told Marcos. “It’s a very strong signal.”
Zelenskyy highlighted Ukraine’s need for more mental health workers for its soldiers, to which Marcos promised assistance. Additionally, Marcos welcomed Ukraine’s decision to open an embassy in Manila this year, facilitating closer bilateral cooperation.
“We have ourselves been trying to promote the continuing adherence to international law in our part of the world,” Marcos said. “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.”
Both leaders criticized China at the Singapore forum, which saw participation from global defense and government officials, including representatives from Washington and Beijing. The forum occurred amid ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine and rising tensions between the United States and China in the Indo-Pacific region.
At a news conference in Singapore, Zelenskyy accused China of aiding Russia in disrupting the peace summit by pressuring other countries not to attend. “Russia, using Chinese influence in the region, using Chinese diplomats also, does everything to disrupt the peace summit,” he said.
In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning denied the allegation, stating, “Our position is open and transparent, and there is no such thing as pressuring other countries.”
China claims neutrality on the Ukraine war but has increased trade with Russia, mitigating the impact of Western sanctions. Intelligence reports suggest Chinese parts are being used in Russian weaponry, though China denies directly arming Russia.
Switzerland had hoped for Chinese attendance at the mid-June peace conference, but Mao Ning indicated this was unlikely. During the security forum, Zelenskyy urged defense officials to attend the summit, expressing disappointment over some countries’ reluctance to commit. He stated that Ukraine has proposals addressing nuclear security, food security, prisoner of war releases, and the return of abducted Ukrainian children.
“We are ready to hear various proposals and thoughts that lead us to an end of the war and a sustainable and just peace,” Zelenskyy said.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin met with Zelenskyy at the conference, reaffirming U.S. support for Ukraine. In his address, Austin condemned Putin’s actions, saying, “Putin’s war of aggression has provided us all with a preview of a world that none of us would want.”
President Marcos highlighted the risks in the South China Sea during the forum, noting that any fatal incident involving a Filipino could escalate into a significant conflict. “Illegal, coercive, aggressive and deceptive actions continue to violate our sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdictions,” Marcos stated, emphasizing the Philippines’ commitment to peaceful dispute resolution.
Austin reiterated the U.S. commitment to the Philippines as a treaty ally but stressed the importance of maintaining dialogue with China to prevent unnecessary escalations.
“There are a number of things that can happen at sea or in the air, we recognize that,” Austin said. “But our goal is to make sure that we don’t allow things to spiral out of control unnecessarily.”
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
