By Argyll Geducos
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to deepen cooperation in key areas such as food security, energy, trade, and investment during their meeting in Kazan on the sidelines of the ASEAN-Russia Commemorative Summit.
Marking the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Manila and Moscow, Marcos said the next chapter of ties should deliver “real benefits to the Filipino people” and foster regional peace and prosperity.
He noted that while trade has been steady, there is “a great deal more that we can do.”
Putin echoed this sentiment, pointing out that bilateral trade already exceeded $500 million last year and highlighting the potential to expand agricultural and energy resource exchanges.
Both leaders underscored the importance of existing mechanisms like the Joint Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation, which has identified food and energy security as shared priorities.
Marcos also invited Putin to attend the East Asia Summit in Manila this November, while recalling the historic 1976 visit of his father, Ferdinand Marcos Sr., which formally established diplomatic relations with Moscow.
Putin, in turn, emphasized the “immense capital of mutually beneficial cooperation” built over five decades, rooted in mutual respect and pragmatic diplomacy.
