UKRAINIAN President Volodymyr Zelensky visited the Philippines today to urge regional leaders to attend a Swiss-organised peace summit on the war in his country.

Mr Zelensky has accused Russia, with China’s help, of trying to undermine the summit, to which Moscow has not been invited.

He arrived today to a red-carpet welcome, receiving military honours at the presidential palace before meeting President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr.

Mr Zelensky claims that the president has accepted an invitation to attend the summit, but it is not clear whether the Filipino leader will attend in person or send a representative to Switzerland.

Mr Marcos would only remark: “We continue to do all that we can to promote peace and to bring an end to the fighting.”

Both leaders voiced criticism of China at the Singapore forum, which was attended by top defence and government officials from around the world, including from Washington and Beijing. 

In Singapore on Sunday, Mr Zelensky accused China of helping Russia to disrupt the Swiss-organised peace summit by pressing other countries and their leaders to stay away.

Beijing has not responded to Mr Zelensky’s claim, but last year it put forward a comprehensive road map for peace between Ukraine and Russia.