Opinion | Why Philippines offered to open bases for US use if Ukraine war spreads to Asia
- President Rodrigo Duterte welcoming US access to Philippine military facilities is a marked departure from his usual tirades against Manila’s treaty ally
- Manila wants to procure Russian defence equipment and Duterte may be trying to temper opposition towards the deal, while calibrating ties with the US
The Philippines desires to stay neutral in the war. It has called on parties to reaffirm commitment to the Manila Declaration on the Peaceful Settlement of Disputes, which provides a framework to resolve crises through diplomacy, dialogue and rule of law.
Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan have passed varying sets of sanctions against Russia. Neither did fellow US Southeast Asian ally Thailand, who likewise voted in favour of the resolution. Emerging US security partner Vietnam abstained from voting likely due to long-standing ties dating back to the Cold War when the former Soviet Union provided diplomatic support, economic and military aid to Hanoi.
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Washington to send Ukraine an additional US$800 million worth of military assistance
The decision not to take part in the sanctions suggests the Philippines wants to keep ties with Russia open, including in the area of defence. Manila recently announced the purchase of BrahMos cruise missiles jointly developed by Indian and Russian defence firms. The country is also poised to acquire Russian Mil Mi-17 heavy-lift helicopters.