Rodrigo Duterte arrived Russia on Monday to meet his Russian counterpart and hero, Vladimir Putin. The Philippine leader steers the nation’s foreign policy course further toward a new ally, Russian Federation.
Rodrigo Duterte’s trip to Moscow started on Monday, the Philippine leader will spend five days in Russia. His schedule included a personal meeting with the Russian President Vladimir Putin, both leaders are going to cement a dramatic improvement in ties between the two nations.
Since 2016 when Rodrigo Duterte came to power, he began to accuse the US of hypocrisy and bullying. Now, the vector of foreign policy is changed, Philippines cut the ties with the USA and got a new ally, Russia.
Vladimir Putin and Rodrigo Duterte will meet on Thursday, according to Philippines leader, Mr Putin is his “favourite hero”, both men have mutual passions like guns and hunting.
Duterte’s trip has one big aim – to secure Russian precision-guided bombs to use on jihadists in the southern Philippines.
“If they can spare us with the precision guided (bombs). We have so many smart bombs but not as accurate,”
Duterte said to the press.
The trip to Moscow: what Duterte should expect from it
The trip to Moscow is a clear signal to the international community that Philippines has changed the ally and protector – Russia instead of the USA. Last year, Duterte announced the Philippines’ “separation” from the United States on his state visit to China. In particular, he said:
“I’ve realigned myself in your ideological flow and maybe I will also go to Russia to talk to Putin and tell him that there are three of us against the world — China, Philippines and Russia. It’s the only way,”
he said in Beijing.
Duterte’s seeking of weapons from Russia comes as he dials down cooperation with the USA, the Philippines’ former colonial ruler that has for decades been its most important military ally and protector.
