Presidents Duterte and Putin will meet for the fourth time.

President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday night described his second trip to Russia as a chance to “deepen” engagement with a country that shares key “strategic interests” with the Philippines both bilaterally and in the larger Asia-Pacific region.

“This visit reaffirms the Philippines’ strong commitment to building a robust and comprehensive partnership with Russia. One that is based on shared interests, pragmatism, and mutual trust and respect,” Duterte said in his pre-departure speech at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

Duterte’s five-day visit will start in Sochi where he will meet President Vladimir Putin to assess the state of Philippine-Russian bilateral relations.

“We will identify ways of further intensifying cooperation areas of security and defense, combating terrorism and violent extremism, and addressing transnational crimes,” Duterte said.

He said he will discuss regional and global developments that impact the Philippines and Russia “as key points of convergence of national interests” where the two countries can work together.

“We expect key agreements – including in political cooperation, health, science and technology, and culture – to be signed,” Duterte said.

Russia is likely to offer the Philippines various defense equipment, Defense Sec. Delfin Lorenzana said.

“Of course they will interest us to buy their equipment: transport helicopters, attack helicopters, multirole fighters, ships, drones, tanks, etc. They will give us a catalog of their products for our consideration,” Lorenzana said.

Lorenzana, however, is not privy on whether this offer will include Russian diesel-electric submarines which it had offered earlier.

“Maybe. But I am not sure,” Lorenzana said.

On Thursday, Duterte will join Putin and other world leaders at the Forum of the Valdai International Discussion Club to provide his own perspective on the topic “The Dawn of the East and the World Political Order.”

“This will be an opportune occasion to articulate, to a key audience, our independent Philippine foreign policy – one that is based on respect for sovereignty and non-interference, the time-honored principles of international law,” Duterte said.

He said the “most basic principle of a rule that governs the relations between nations have been forgotten by some idiots in some parts of the world.”

Duterte will likewise meet Filipino and Russian business leaders to encourage more economic linkages and engage academics and students of the Moscow Institute of International Relations University.

There will be special cultural programs that will feature Filipino culture and heritage to the Russian-Filipinos in Russia. Among these are performances from the Philippine Madrigal Singers.

The President is also looking forward to finally meet members of the growing Filipino community in Moscow, which he was not able to do in his 2017 Russian trip that was cut short due to the brewing conflict in Marawi City.

Meanwhile, Duterte said geopolitical realities and global developments require both the Philippines and Russia to have an “agile” foreign policy.

“While it is true that we value our long-standing partners, we must also be open to engaging new ones,” Duterte said.

He said because the Philippines has placed key nations “at the margins” of foreign policy, it has failed to “fully explore the potentials of mutually beneficial cooperation.”

However, Duterte said with the Philippines’ independent foreign policy, he could expect “new and promising times.”

“With hard work from both the Philippines and Russia, we can begin realizing the benefits of a partnership more than four decades in the making,” Duterte said.

Earlier, Foreign Affairs Teodoro Locsin Jr. said the President will go to Russia to “make up for his first state visit that was aborted within half a day of arriving by the fall of Marawi to jihadis including foreign fighters.”

The President designated Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra as officer-in-charge from 1 to 6 October.

Aside from Locsin and Lorenzana, the official delegation includes Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, Cabinet Secretaries Carlos Dominguez III, William Dar, Silvestre Bello III, Karlo Nograles, Ramon Lopez, Roy Cimatu, Eduardo Año, Fortunato Dela Peña, Alfonso Cusi, Martin Andanar and Hermogenes Esperon, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo and Philippine Ambassador to Russia Carlos Sorreta.

Some 150 businessmen are also part of the trip. (With a report from PNA)