Duterte, Putin discuss COVID-19, defense cooperation

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a teleconference on April 13, discussing the COVID-19 pandemic, defense cooperation, security ties, and trade.

Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to fight the pandemic and discussed vaccine landscapes, emphasizing the need to mobilize vaccines like Russia's Sputnik V.

Duterte informed Putin of the Philippines' plan to order 20 million doses of Sputnik V, with an additional 500,000 doses expected in April.

The Philippines is expecting to receive at least 20 million doses of Sputnik V, which has a 91% efficacy rate based on the evaluation of the Philippine Food and Drug Administration, but no delivery date has been set yet.

They also discussed greater cooperation in various fields, including defense, trade and investments, agriculture, and energy, noting steady progress in defense and security cooperation.

Duterte reiterated his invitation for Putin to visit the Philippines, which the Russian leader welcomed.

President Duterte was scheduled to address the nation on April 15 to discuss the outcomes of his meeting with Putin, including details about his call with President Putin.