MANILA, Philippines – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will be visiting Manila for the first time.

Zelenskyy is set to arrive in Manila late Sunday evening, June 2, according to diplomatic sources in Manila.

This is his first ever visit to Manila since being elected president in 2019. He flies in just as Ukraine continues to face a nonstop assault from Russia.

The Ukrainian leader was in nearby Singapore over the weekend to attend the Shangri-La Dialogue, where he accused both Russia and China of trying to undermine a peace summit in Switzerland.

Diplomatic sources earlier said Ukraine had wanted to meet with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in Singapore, but their schedules did not sync up.

Marcos delivered the keynote address for the dialogue, in which he extolled the importance of the rules-based order as Manila deals with an aggressive China in the South China Sea.

Marcos left Singapore right after his speech and arrived in Manila early Saturday morning, June 1. Zelenskyy arrived in Singapore on Saturday, after Marcos left.

The Associated Press had earlier reported that Zelenskyy could travel to Manila to personally invite Marcos to the peace summit. – Rappler.com