Duterte leaves for Russia on Tuesday

September 30, 2019

President Rodrigo Duterte is set to leave for Russia on Tuesday afternoon.

This will be his second time to visit Russia - the first time was in May 2017 when he cut short his trip due to the Marawi siege.

Duterte will go to the cities of Sochi and Moscow during his trip from October 1 to 5, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs.

In Sochi, Duterte and Russian President Vladimir Putin and other invited leaders will speak on October 3 at the Plenary Session of the Valdai Forum, an annual event where top Russian and international officials as well as policymakers, academics and journalists are invited.

Duterte and Putin will have their bilateral meeting and witness the exchange of several bilateral agreements in Sochi.

In Moscow, Duterte will attend the Philippine-Russia Business Forum to promote trade and investment opportunities between the two countries. It will also serve as a venue for networking between Russian and Filipino businessmen.

Duterte will have a brief lecture at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations, one of the most prestigious institutions in diplomacy and international affairs.

Duterte will also meet with the Filipino community before returning to the Philippines. There are around 7,000 Filipinos in Russia. Celerina Monte/DMS