During the campaign, candidate Donald J. Trump heaped praise on Russian President Vladimir Putin as a decisive leader and hinted at lifting the West’s sanctions on Russia for grabbing Crimea and actually supporting the secession of Eastern Ukraine.
The United States Director of National Intelligence released a declassified report claiming that Russia had hacked the Democrat Party’s files to influence the US presidential elections, in favor of Trump, thereby “undermin[ing] public faith in the US democratic process.”
Not long afterwards, Michael Flynn, Trump’s national security adviser, unceremoniously resigned because he lied to US Vice President Mike Pence about meeting with the Russian Ambassador to the US, Sergey Kislyak, a month before Trump was sworn in.
Another key official in the security and justice machinery, newly appointed US Attorney General Jeff Sessions inhibited himself from federal investigations on the alleged meddling of Russian officials in the US elections. The Washington Post reported that the former Alabama senator also met with Kislyak on two occasions during the campaign of Trump.
In the Middle East, Moscow supported Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to stay in power, at the heavy cost of tens of thousands of deaths and destruction of ancient heritage cities like Aleppo.
In October 2016 France and Spain presented a draft resolution at the UN Security Council calling for a truce and a cessation of all military activities in Aleppo. The proposal received almost unanimous support—earning 11 affirmatives out of 14 possible votes. However, it did not pass, as Russia, a permanent member of the UN Security Council with wider veto powers, vetoed the proposal.
The EU and the US denounced Russian aggression in grabbing the Crimean Peninsula as having blatantly violated international law. They imposed as a result sanctions on Russia, including asset freeze and travel restrictions against certain individuals, officials and businesses seen to be aligned closely with the Kremlin.
Many nations are united in opposing Russia’s demonstrated aggression against its neighbors and apparent attempts at disrupting democratic institutions. Human-rights groups accused Putin of silencing his critics with extreme measures.
Last year President Duterte sat down with this avowed “idol” Russian President Vladimir Putin in Lima, Peru, on the sidelines of the annual leaders’ meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec). Putin reportedly committed to Duterte Russia could import up to $2.5 billion (P124.17 billion) worth of Philippine agricultural products, including fruits and vegetables—a giant leap from the modest $46 million (P2.28 billion) Philippine average exports to Russia each year.
Earlier this year, two Russian warships docked on our shores—a goodwill gesture signifying that Moscow is keen on joining military exercises with the Philippines. Igor Khovaev, Russia’s ambassador to the Philippines, said all the Philippines needed to do was give Russia a “wish list” of whatever assistance Moscow could extend to Manila.
Duterte is scheduled to visit the Kremlin in May in line with his announced pivot to Russia and China that he made last year during the Apec conference.
We, of course, welcome trade, tourism and investment from any country willing to do business with us. But we must make it clear at the outset that friendly ties and commercial relations will be forged without sacrificing existing relationships with old allies and friends. In foreign relations, as in domestic affairs, a shared set of values, common experience and democratic traditions are fundamental bonding ties.
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