President Bongbong Marcos has said that he is ready to engage with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky following the Ukrainian government’s revelation that they have been requesting for the two leaders to talk via phone call for months.
“We have already had engagements with our Ukrainian counterparts, so I was quite surprised to hear the Ukrainian ambassador’s statement that we have not been provided a response from our camp,” Marcos told reporters as he arrived at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland.
However, Marcos is hesitant to commit to the proposed peace plan of Ukraine, which will be presented before the United Nations and will call for the full withdrawal of Russian troops to Ukrainian territory.
“That’s not for us to decide. Those details are for, should there be talks, between Ukraine and Russia. They should talk it out. We support any effort towards peace – anything. As long as the violence and war stops, that’s all that matters. How they handle the territories is clearly between the two countries,” Marcos said.
Denys Mykhailiuk, chargé d’affaires of the Embassy of Ukraine in Malaysia, said that they have been waiting for the response of the Philippines on the proposed talks.
The Department of Foreign Affairs said that this was not the proper diplomatic channel.
“First of all, we don’t really appreciate when these things are done… Ukraine is a country that we have good relations with… but when matters like these are vented by representatives of another government through the press, it’s not something we appreciate,” DFA Undersecretary Carlos Sorreta said during a Palace briefing.
“If he wants this to happen, we have to discuss it. These things are arranged, talking points are discussed. There’s a pre-discussion… It is not good diplomatic practice to be doing it the way he did. I think I’ll leave it at that,” he added.
