Phl won’t face Ukraine treatment by Trump — analyst

There is no need for the Philippines to worry about being treated the same way Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was after his recent heated argument with US President Donald Trump in the White House, according to a political analyst.

The altercation followed a contentious meeting between the two leaders in the Oval Office in Washington, which was also joined by Vice President JD Vance.

The exchange centered on US support for Ukraine and sparked criticism of Trump’s treatment of the Ukrainian president. Trump also made remarks about Zelensky’s attire, known for his simple clothing, saying he was “all dressed up.”

Renato De Castro explained that Trump generally has a positive view of the Philippines, citing his administration’s aid to the country during the Marawi siege under former president Rodrigo Duterte. 

He added that Trump values the relationship with the Philippines due to the presence of Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement sites.

“Actually, it’s positive. We can see that US assistance has recently been lifted... there were waivers on several billions worth of security assistance,” he said in a radio interview. “And also, our ambassador in Washington, [Ambassador Jose Manuel Romualdez], is doing a great job.”

Like former president Duterte, De Castro said Trump has no strained relationship with President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. Meanwhile, Zelensky’s close ties with former US president Joe Biden also affected his relationship with Trump.

Foreign policy and personality clash
De Castro explained the reasons behind the interaction between the two leaders in the Oval Office. He said two factors affected their interaction: foreign policy objectives and a personality clash.

He explained that since the beginning of the Trump administration and even during his prior term, China and Russia have been engaged in strategic competition. 

Currently, the US  is focusing on China, which they see as a stronger competitor, describing Beijing as more industrialized while Russia is a declining power.

“What America wants to focus on now, even during Biden’s administration, is China. But when the war in Ukraine started in February 2022, America’s attention was diverted under president Biden. They were preparing for the possibility of confrontation with China, while at the same time, their resources were diverted to the war in Ukraine,” he said, noting that Trump’s goal at the present is to end the Ukraine-Russia war and focus on China.

He added that the foundation of Russia’s economy is based on the export of oil and raw materials, while China is the second-largest economy and has the biggest navy globally.

The international relations expert said, “What’s a bit unclear here is cutting a deal with Russia.”

He noted that any foreign policy decision has trade-offs, which in this case would mean “NATO and Ukraine would have to accept that Russia would take almost 20 percent of Ukraine’s territory, which would be confronted with Russian military power. This would mean Ukraine would be the ‘sacrificial lamb.”

In this situation, he said, it can be seen how alliances work, with each nation prioritizing its own national interests at the end of the day.