Duterte back in Moscow for rest of Russia trip

President Rodrigo Duterte delivers his opening statement during his meeting with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev in Moscow on Wednesday, October 2, 2019. Photo courtesy of Malacañang Press Corps pool.

SOCHI, Russia — President Rodrigo Duterte returned to Moscow late Thursday (early Friday in Manila) where he would finish the rest of his scheduled activities in his five-day official visit to Russia.

Duterte’s plane touched down at Vnukovo Military Base Airport at around 12:20 am (5:20 am Manila time).

Prior to his arrival in Moscow, Duterte held a bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin here where the former reaffirmed the Philippines’ strong commitment to build a robust and comprehensive partnership” with Russia.

“In the past two years, we have seen a dramatic increase in bilateral activities across many areas of cooperation at various levels of government,” Duterte told Putin.

In Moscow, the President is scheduled to lead a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, a war memorial dedicated to the Soviet soldiers who perished during World War II.

He will then be given a tour of the Kremlin Palace and speak before a Philippines-Russia business forum afterward./ac