President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. departed late Tuesday evening for Kazan, Russia, to participate in the ASEAN–Russia Commemorative Summit.
The high-level meeting brings together regional leaders to discuss enhanced cooperation in security, trade, energy, and food security.
The President and the Philippine delegation departed from the Villamor Air Base shortly after 11:55 p.m. on June 16.
In his departure statement, President Marcos Jr. highlighted both the regional and deeply personal significance of the mission, noting that it marks his first time visiting Russia. The trip also takes place exactly 50 years after his father, the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr., made a historic visit to the Soviet Union that established formal diplomatic ties between the two nations.
“It will be my first time on Russian soil—a journey I undertake nearly fifty years after my father, President Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr., made his own historic visit to the then-Soviet Union in 1976,” President Marcos Jr. said. “That milestone opened an enduring chapter in Philippines-Russia relations grounded in mutual respect, dialogue, and cooperation—one that we continue to build upon today.”
As the current Chair of ASEAN, the Philippines is steering the summit to mark the 35th anniversary of ASEAN-Russia relations. President Marcos Jr. emphasized that the Philippines is committed to ensuring the summit produces “substantive and forward-looking outcomes” that contribute directly to regional peace, stability, and economic growth.
The joint agenda with Russian President Vladimir Putin and other ASEAN leaders will review over three decades of cooperation while charting a course for future development. Key areas of focus include:
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Economic Growth: Trade, investment, tourism, and digital transformation.
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Regional Resilience: Food and energy security, science, and technology.
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Human Development: Education and people-to-people exchanges.
On the sidelines of the regional summit, President Marcos Jr. is scheduled to hold a highly anticipated bilateral meeting with President Putin. The meeting coincides with the golden anniversary of formal diplomatic relations between Manila and Moscow, which were established on June 2, 1976.
The bilateral discussions will center on concrete areas of mutual economic interest, with a heavy emphasis on securing energy and food supply chains for the Philippines.
