BY ASHZEL HACHERO and JOCELYN MONTEMAYOR
THE Department of Foreign Affairs yesterday said high-level interactions with Ukraine were held as recently as November last year.
The DFA issued the statement following the statement of Denys Mykhailiuk, chargé d’affaires of the Ukrainian Embassy in Malaysia, that Manila has yet to respond to Ukraine’s proposed phone call between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
“The Philippines and Ukraine have held high level-interactions as recently as November 2022, when DFA Secretary Enrique Manalo met with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on the sidelines of the 40th and 41st Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summits held in Cambodia,” the DFA said in a statement.
Kuleba even expressed gratitude to Manalo for the Philippines’ support to Ukraine at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), the DFA said.
Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Carlos Sorreta, in a briefing, said the Philippines has a good relationship with Ukraine but described Mykhailiuk’s disclosure as a “not good diplomatic practice.”
He said Philippines does not appreciate Mykhailiuk’s action.
“First of all, we don’t really appreciate when these things are done… Ukraine is a country we have a good relationship with, but when matters like this are vented by representatives of another government through the press, it’s not something that we appreciate… It’s not good diplomatic practice to do it the way he did. I think I will leave it at that. Thank you,” he said.
Sorreta said the talks between the two leaders need to be discussed further.
“If he wants this to happen, we have to discuss it. These things are arranged,” he said.
Mykhailiuk on Wednesday said Ukraine contacted Malacañang “twice a month” since June last year, but it has not responded to Ukraine’s request.
He said that should the phone conversation proceed, Zelenskiy will seek Marcos’ help through the participation or co-sponsorship of the Philippines in a peace plan of the United Nations in February. The planned Peace Formula aims to punish Russia for crimes of aggression, including sanctions such as trade and travel bans.
Ukraine’s embassy in Malaysia has concurrent jurisdiction over the Philippines.
Ukraine has been in conflict with Russia since February 2022 when the latter invaded Ukraine.
The DFA said Manila supported Ukraine’s entry to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation of Southeast Asia.
“The displacement of civilians has been a serious consequence of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and we have supported efforts in the United Nations not only to seek a peaceful end to this conflict, but also to address the pressing and urgent humanitarian issue of displaced civilians,” the DFA added.
Manila also supported the European Union’s 10-Point Plan for welcoming people fleeing from the war in Ukraine as a response to the UN resolutions on the conflict.
“The Philippines has a long tradition of providing refuge for civilians fleeing from conflict as well as protecting civilians in conflict through our many decades of involvement in peacekeeping,” it added.
To recall, the Philippines joined 140 other nations in voting yes to the March 2, 2022 UN General Assembly (UNGA) resolution deploring Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.
In a statement delivered by the DFA before the March 2 UNGA session, Manila “strongly urged the cessation of hostilities” while echoing the call of the UN secretary general for respect of humanitarian principles to protect civilians and civilian infrastructures in Ukraine.
The Philippines also voted “yes” to a second UNGA resolution reiterating the UN’s March 2 demand for Russia to stop its military offensive against Ukraine and withdraw all its troops and protect civilians and infrastructure indispensable to their survival.
