President Marcos will attend the inaugural Global Peace Summit in Switzerland on June 15, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who visited Manila to personally extend the invitation to the Philippine leader on Monday.
In an interview, Zelenskyy said President Marcos told him that the Philippines would participate in the upcoming summit to discuss global issues such as food security, nuclear security, humanitarian issues, and war between Ukraine and Russia.
“He said that the Filipinos would support the summit. I said it is very important for him to come and he said he will come and he will participate in the summit,” Zelenskyy said.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter) shortly after the meeting between Presidents Marcos and Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian leader was pleased with the participation of the Philippines in the said summit.
“We discussed the inaugural Global Peace Summit and the importance of Southeast Asian countries being represented there. I am pleased that the Philippines will participate in the summit,” Zelenskyy said in his post.
In an earlier address, Zelenskyy criticized Russia and China for undermining the peace summit, saying the two superpower nations were convincing other countries not to take part in the event.
Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary Cheloy Garafil confirmed that the Philippines would participate in the summit, but has yet to finalize the details of the country’s attendance.
President Marcos welcomed Zelenskyy in Malacañang for an unannounced meeting between the two leaders, days after they participated in the 2024 Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, where they failed to meet due to time constraints.
During their time in the global defense forum, the two leaders addressed key issues in their respective nations such as the escalating tension in the Indo-Pacific region and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.