The upcoming visit of Russian leader Vladimir Putin to the country upon the invitation of President Rodrigo Duterte will pave the way for strengthened relations between the two states, the Palace said Sunday.
This came after Russian Ambassador to the Philippines Igor Khovaev confirmed Saturday that Putin will visit the country for the first time.
“If a head of state visits any country, his visit will give renewed ties between the two countries. If weak, it will strengthen. If strong enough, then much stronger,” Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said in an interview.
“The purpose will always be the improvement of relations so both our needs will be met,” he added.
No details or confirmed dates have been released yet by the Russian government.
Earlier this month, Duterte toured Moscow and Sochi for a five-day visit where he met Putin and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, and took home 10 bilateral deals on trade and energy worth $12.57 million (about P643 million).
Among these agreements were exportation of Philippine products, intent to explore the prospect of constructing nuclear power plants, and importation of technological products from Russian companies.
Duterte also delivered a speech at the prestigious Valdai forum alongside Putin and other heads of state: Jordanian King Abdullah II, Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, and Azerbaijan President Heydar Oglu Aliyev.
The President defended his campaign against illegal drugs in the forum, as he slammed countries such as the United States for being critical of his policies.
Duterte was also conferred with an honorary doctorate by the Moscow State Institute of International Relations University, a training ground for budding Russian diplomats.
The Chief Executive also met with Russian businessmen in a forum.
