Muling inimbitahan ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte si Pangulong Vladimir Putin ng Russia na bumisita sa Pilipinas sa susunod na taon.

“Next year marks the 45th anniversary of our diplomatic relations. I take this opportunity to reiterate my invitation to President Vladimir Putin to visit the Philippines,” pahayag ni Duterte sa virtual presentation ng credentials ng bagong Russian Ambassador to the Philippines na si Marat Pavlov noong Miyerkules.

Dagdag pa ng pangulo, “It will be an opportunity to celebrate and reaffirm the enduring friendship and cooperation between the two countries.”

Noong Oktubre 2019, sinabi ni dating Russian envoy Igor Khovaev na tinanggap na ni Putin ang imbitasyon ni Duterte.

Aniya, “We’ll do our best to arrange this visit as soon as possible.”

Kung itutuloy ng Russia ang plano, ito ang magiging kauna-unahang beses na bibisita si Putin sa Manila.

Pinasalamatan din ni Duterte ang Russia dahil sa pag-aalok ng Covid-19 vaccine sa Pilipinas.

“We thank Russia for its offer to supply Sputnik V and share this technology on vaccine production with the Philippines,” ani Duterte.

“I’m confident that our collaboration and possible distribution and manufacture of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine in the Philippines will greatly contribute to continued development of the friendly, constructive relations of the Russian Federation and the Republic of the Philippines,” wika naman ni Pavlov.

Unang sinabi naman ni Philippine Ambassador to Russia Carlos Sorreta na maaari nang gumawa ang Russia ng mga bakuna para sa Pilipinas simula Enero 2021. Inaasahan din ni Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez, Jr. ang pagdating ng Covid-19 vaccines sa unang quarter ng 2021 – mula sa Gamaleya Institute ng Russia at Sinovac Biotech ng China.