Zelenskyy in Philippines to promote peace summit he says China and Russia are trying to undermine

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was in the Philippines on Monday in a rare Asian trip to urge regional leaders to attend a Swiss-organized global peace summit on the war in Ukraine that he accuses Russia, with China’s help, of trying to undermine.

Zelenskyy arrived unannounced and under heavy security in Manila late Sunday after speaking over the weekend at the Shangri-La defense forum in Singapore.

He had planned but failed to meet with Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on the sidelines of that annual defense gathering and decided to fly here to personally invite Marcos to attend the summit in Switzerland, two Filipino officials told The Associated Press. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because of a lack of authority to discuss details of Zelenskyy’s secretive trip to Manila.

Both leaders spoke critically of China at the defense forum in Singapore, which was attended by top defense and government officials from around the world, including from Washington and Beijing. The talks were held amid the raging wars in Gaza and Ukraine as well as growing tensions and rivalry for influence between the United States and China in the Indo-Pacific region.

At a news conference at the Singapore forum Sunday, Zelenskyy accused China of helping Russia to disrupt the Swiss-organized peace summit by pressuring other countries and their leaders not to attend the talks.

“Russia, using Chinese influence in the region, using Chinese diplomats also, does everything to disrupt the peace summit,” he said without elaborating. “Regrettably, this is unfortunate that such a big independent powerful country as China is an instrument in the hands of (Russian leader Vladimir) Putin.”

The Chinese Foreign Ministry did not respond immediately to a request for comment on Zelenskyy’s claim.

China has taken what it says is a neutral position on the war, putting it at odds with Ukraine, the U.S. and most of Europe and its trade with Russia has grown, easing the economic impact of Western sanctions. American, Ukrainian and other intelligence agencies say there is evidence that Chinese parts are winding up in Russian weaponry, even if China is