Zelensky in Manila to promote peace summit, which he says China and Russia are trying to undermine

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with the Philippine president Monday on a rare trip to Asia to urge regional leaders to attend a Swiss-hosted global peace summit over the war in Ukraine that he accuses. Russia, with the help of China, is trying to undermine it.

Zelensky arrived unannounced and under tight security in Manila on Sunday evening after speaking over the weekend at the Shangri-La Defense Forum in Singapore. He was given a red carpet welcome with military honors at the Presidential Palace on Monday before meeting with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., after which he left the Philippines.

Marcos promised his country would participate in the peace summit, Philippine Communications Secretary Cheloy Garafil said.

“I am happy to hear from you today that you will participate in our peace efforts,” Zelensky told Marcos. “It’s a very strong signal.”

The White House said Vice President Kamala Harris will represent the United States during the meeting in Lucerne on June 15.

Zelenskyy said Ukraine needs more mental health professionals for its soldiers. Marcos promised to help and welcomed Ukraine’s decision to open an embassy in Manila this year, which would speed up aid efforts.

“We ourselves have tried to promote continued respect for international law in our part of the world,” Marcos said. “The problems you face are similar and parallel to ours and therefore the position taken by the Philippines is always to promote peace. »

Both leaders criticized China at the Singapore forum, which was attended by senior government and defense officials from around the world, including Washington and Beijing. The talks took place against a backdrop of raging wars in Gaza and Ukraine, as well as growing tensions and rivalries for influence between the United States and China in the Indo-Pacific region.

At a news conference in Singapore on Sunday, Zelensky accused China of helping Russia disrupt the Swiss-hosted peace summit by pressuring other countries not to attend.

“Russia, using Chinese influence in the region, also using Chinese diplomats, is doing everything to disrupt the peace summit,” he said, without elaborating. “It is regrettable that a country as large and powerful as China is a tool in the hands of (Russian leader Vladimir) Putin.”

In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning denied the allegation. “Our position is open and transparent, and it is not possible to put pressure on other countries,” Mao said.

China has taken what it sees as a neutral stance on the war, putting it at odds with Ukraine, the United States and most European countries. Its trade with Russia has expanded, thus mitigating the economic impact of Western sanctions. U.S., Ukrainian and other intelligence agencies say there is evidence that Chinese parts are finding their way into Russian weaponry, even though China does not directly arm its neighbor.

Switzerland had hoped China would attend the peace conference in mid-June, but Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning suggested Friday that was unlikely.

At the security forum, Zelensky urged top defense officials to attend the talks in Switzerland, expressing disappointment at the failure of some countries to commit to attending. Ukraine, he added, has proposals to make at the summit as a basis for peace, regarding nuclear security, food security, the release of prisoners of war and the return of Ukrainian children kidnapped by Russia.

He said Ukraine was “ready to hear various proposals and reflections that would lead us… to an end to the war and a just and lasting peace.”

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin met with Zelensky on the sidelines of the conference and renewed US commitments to Ukraine. In a speech at the forum Saturday, Austin said Putin’s “war of aggression has given us all a glimpse of a world none of us want.”

Marcos, whose country had escalating clashes with China over disputed islets in the South China Sea, bluntly highlighted the dangers of the regional hot spot on Friday at the defense forum. He said that if “a deliberate act” were to result in the death of a Filipino in hostilities on the high seas, “that is, I think, very, very close to what we define as an act of war.”

“It would definitely increase the level of response,” Marcos said in response to a question.

“Illegal, coercive, aggressive and deceptive actions continue to violate our sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdictions,” Marcos said, without naming China, but added that the Philippines remained committed to peaceful resolution of disputes.

Austin said at the forum that the US commitment to Philippines as treaty ally is ‘ironclad’ but reiterated the importance of dialogue with China.

“A number of things can happen at sea or in the air, we recognize that,” he said. “But our goal is to make sure we don’t let things get unnecessarily out of control.”

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Associated Press journalists Joeal Calupitan in Manila, Philippines, and Hanna Arhirova in Kyiv, Ukraine, contributed to this report.