Duterte visits Russia to buy weapons.

(Baonghean.vn) - "Unlike the US, Russia sells weapons without imposing any additional conditions. Diversifying arms supplies will help Manila reduce its dependence on military equipment from Washington," Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte affirmed to Russian media ahead of his visit.

On May 22, President Rodrigo Duterte departed for an official visit to the Russian Federation at the invitation of his counterpart, Vladimir Putin. The highlight of this visit will be the meeting between the leaders of the two sides on May 25.

President Rodrigo Duterte and President Vladimir Putin. Photo: Ria Novosti

Ahead of the visit, in an interview with Russian media, President Duterte shared that he had declined numerous invitations to the United States, stating that "in the current context, visiting Russia is more important and necessary." Accordingly, his agenda in Moscow would prioritize defense and security issues. In addition, he would focus on "establishing a balance in bilateral trade relations and reaching an agreement on cooperation in the agricultural sector."

Rodrigo Duterte acknowledged that arms sales are a top priority and will be discussed in Moscow. The Philippines will strive to persuade Russia to supply weapons.

"The Philippines is battling insurgent forces, similar to those in Russia. They are small in number, but they cause significant problems, and dealing with them requires intelligence and precision. Therefore, we need advanced intelligence technologies, lightweight precision weapons, as well as helicopters and missiles," the Philippine president added, noting that these weapons don't need to be expensive but are highly effective in the fight against terrorism in conflict zones.

Duterte declared that the Philippines has changed its approach to relations with the US and has no intention of buying weapons from it because Washington imposes too many conditions, complicating the arms trade.

"Unlike the US, Russia sells weapons without imposing any additional conditions. Diversifying arms supplies will help Manila reduce its dependence on military equipment from Washington – which uses weapons as a lever for political pressure," Duterte said.

According to Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoygu, several cooperation agreements in the defense sector will be signed between the two countries during this visit. In addition to light weapons and helicopters, the Philippines is also interested in Russia's next-generation submarines and armored vehicles.

US Russia

(According to Ria Novosti)