President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. reaffirmed the Philippines’ support for Ukraine, which remains in a long-standing conflict with Russia.
The war between Ukraine and Russia marked its 1,000th day on Tuesday. Marcos took to social media to reiterate his support for his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky.
“In my meeting with President [Zelensky] on June 3rd, I reiterated the Phl's unwavering support for Ukraine's sovereignty, independence, unity, and territorial integrity,” he said.
Marcos added that he is hoping for a “comprehensive, just, and lasting peace” in Ukraine.
“Ukraine is our valued partner, and our relations continue to go from strength to strength,” Marcos shared.
Zelensky met with Marcos during his visit to the Philippines in June, rallying support for Ukraine and urging the Philippines to attend a peace summit held that same month. Marcos pledged the Philippines’ support for Ukraine during their meeting.
On 24 February, 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine, escalating the Russo-Ukrainian war, which began in 2014. The conflict has become the largest and deadliest military engagement since World War II, resulting in hundreds of thousands of military casualties and tens of thousands of civilian deaths in Ukraine.
More than 8 million Ukrainians have fled the country, while an equal number have been internally displaced as Russia continues its military occupation.