MANILA, Philippines – Philippine Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr met with his Russian counterpart, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, two weeks after Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte sat down with Russian President Vladimir Putin. 

Yasay and Lavrov held a bilateral meeting in Moscow on Monday, December 5. 

The two officials “agreed that their respective ministries would undertake the preparations for the proposed visit to Russia of President Duterte next year,” the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said in a statement Tuesday, December 6.

“The two foreign ministers discussed the current state of bilateral relations and the prospects to enhance cooperation on a broad range of areas, spanning the political, security, economic, cultural and people-to-people spheres,” the DFA said.

It was Yasay’s first visit to Russia, the DFA added.

During their meeting, the two ministers also discussed regional and global issues, as well as the Philippines’ chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in 2017.

Yasay and Lavrov resolved, as well, “to redouble efforts” to conclude agreements toward a legal framework on their relations.

Duterte and Putin held bilateral talks on November 19 on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting.

Putin reminded Duterte 4 times to visit Russia, and Duterte said they “have become fast friends.” 

Duterte had said he will be “first to join” a “new world order” dominated by Russia and China, which he would choose over a world order dominated by the US. – Rappler.com