President FilipinaRodrigo Duterte, expressed his readiness to help the United States (AS) if war Russia vs Ukraine getting worse.
This was conveyed by the Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez at a meeting in Manila. He said Duterte paid special attention to the economic impact of the conflict.
He also showed his unease about the conflict when he agreed to a UN resolution asking Russia to withdraw all troops from Ukraine.
On the one hand, Duterte – who is due to end his term in June – would also maintain good relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping while criticizing US security policies early in his reign.
But now, Duterte thinks Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was wrong. He wants the conflict to be resolved immediately.
“Day [Duterte] say if they [AS] asking the Philippines for support, it’s very clear that the Philippines will join in, especially if the Ukraine crisis extends to the Asian region,” said Domualdez.
“We give them assurances that if needed, the Philippines is ready to offer whatever facilities the United States needs to become our main ally,” he said.
Although open to support for the US, Duterte did not specify the form of assistance that will be provided to allies in dealing with Ukraine. Clark and Subic Bay ports are thought to be options because they were used by US troops in the 1990s.
(ikh/bac)
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