Metro Manila, Philippines — The Ukrainian government on Wednesday said it has been waiting for the Philippines’ response to its proposed phone conversation between the presidents of the two countries.
In a press briefing, the Ukrainian Embassy in Malaysia, which also has jurisdiction in the Philippines, said a formal request was made in June last year for a phone meeting between President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, but Manila has yet to reply.
“We are requesting for a phone call with the president of Ukraine and at that time we haven’t got a reply from the presidential office yet. No response yet, we have been following it up regularly, twice a month,” said Denys Mykhailiuk, Chargé d’affaires of the Ukrainian Embassy.
Ukraine said it hopes both sides can discuss a number of bilateral issues.
“If there will be a discussion between our president and the president of the Philippines, they will definitely be discussing the participation of the sponsoring of the Republic of the Philippines in the peace plan of the United Nations,” the Ukrainian official added.
In a clarificatory message sent to reporters, Mykhailiuk said they hope the Philippines will co-sponsor Ukraine’s peace plan in February to achieve its goals.
The Ukrainian official added that the setting up of embassies in Manila and Ukraine’s capital Kyiv may also be discussed in the proposed phone call.
CNN Philippines reached out to the Department of Foreign Affairs, which declined to give a comment.
Marcos had called for an end to the war between Ukraine and Russia, which he described as “unacceptable,” saying its effects have been “so far-reaching and profound, to the detriment of many economies.”
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began in February last year, with thousands of civilians killed according to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
