President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. arrived back in Manila on Friday following a highly successful diplomatic trip to Russia, where he engaged in crucial discussions focused on strengthening bilateral relations and regional alliance frameworks.
Malacañang confirmed that the President and his official entourage touched down at the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City at 4:02 p.m. on June 19.
In his arrival address, Marcos Jr. stated that the diplomatic mission involved addressing critical global and regional matters, attending a summit that yielded multiple landmark agreements, and meeting with international organization leaders.
He specifically highlighted his sidebar conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin, noting that it reinforced the long-standing ties between Manila and Moscow.
“On the margins of the summit, I held a very productive bilateral meeting with President Putin where we reaffirmed the friendship and cooperation between Russia and the Philippines as we look forward to the next 50 years in our relations,” the President said.
“We discussed ways to further advance our bilateral partnership across trade and investment, energy security, agriculture, science and technology, education, and people-to-people exchanges,” he added.
Marcos Jr. traveled to Kazan, Russia, to co-chair the ASEAN-Russia Commemorative Summit, an event celebrating 35 years of dialogue relations between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and Russia. He described the gathering as a vital moment for regional heads of state to coordinate effectively.
“a timely opportunity” for ASEAN leaders and President Putin “to take stock of our partnership and chart a course forward amidst an increasingly complex global environment.”
During the summit, delegates reviewed major geopolitical matters, including security dynamics in the South China Sea and ongoing tensions in the Middle East.
The primary focus remained on amplifying partnerships that stabilize and bring economic resilience to the region.
“Our discussions reaffirmed the importance of deepening practical cooperation on shared security challenges such as terrorism, transnational crime, cybercrime, and other non-traditional threats, as well as sustaining ASEAN–Russia engagement across all community pillars through our existing mechanisms,” he said.
The multilateral assembly concluded with the adoption of several foundational agreements intended to guide the strategic partnership over the next five years. Among these were the Kazan Declaration 2026: ASEAN-Russia: Unity in Diversity – 35 Years Together, dedicated joint statements on energy and cultural cooperation, and the ASEAN-Russia Comprehensive Plan of Action 2026-2030, which outlines political, economic, and security milestones.
Marcos Jr. also noted the expanding integration of economic mechanisms across Eurasia.
“In this spirit, I had constructive engagements with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the Eurasian Economic Union including through the Eurasian Economic Commission covering inter-regional dialogue and practical cooperation in trade and investment, energy security, connectivity, agriculture, tourism, and addressing transnational challenges,” he added.
The President concluded his remarks by extending his gratitude to the Russian government and its citizens for their hospitality and successful organization of the international event.