Duterte on Putin: We have a lot in common
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President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday said he was happy with his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
He said Putin “never said no” to his requests.
“If you can give me a soft loan payable in so many years because I said, I am a poor country, I said. And he was pointing to Secretary Lorenzana. And he said, where’s your list?” Duterte said.
Duterte said he wanted only 10 minutes with Putin since he had to go back to the Philippines because of the situation in Marawi.
“But it lingered on for about one hour and 30 minutes,” he said.
Duterte said they exchanged ideas about terrorism, economics and other issues.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, shakes hands with Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte during their meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Tuesday, May 23, 2017. (Maxim Shemetov/Pool Photo via AP)
The President said Foreign Secretary Alan Cayetano and Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez were left behind in Russia to deal with the remaining meetings.
“He is very sympathetic. And by the way, he conveyed his condolences, his grief for those who have died,” Duterte said, referring to Putin.
He thanked Putin for the “splendid welcome and their desire to help.”
Duterte said the Russian President even flew in from another part of Russia to meet him before he returned to the Philippines.
“So we started at about 11 and finished about 2. We had a lot of things in common,” he said.
Duterte previously called Putin his “hero.”
Reports said both heads of state were into guns and hunting. Both of them have also been described as strongmen leaders.
