Duterte meets Putin, seeks support to fight ISIS

Pres. Duterte tells Russian Pres. Vladimir Putin ISIS occupied a few province in the Phils @gmanews pic.twitter.com/wKbDj5RYyf

— Joseph Morong (@Joseph_Morong) May 23, 2017

President Rodrigo Duterte has met with Russian President Vladimir Putin late Tuesday evening (Philippine Time), GMA News' Joseph Morong reported.

During the meeting, Duterte asked Putin for a softloan that would be used to purchase firearms because the arms deal with the United States was cancelled.

He also told the Russian leader that members of ISIS have occupied some provinces in the country.

Duterte also said he had to halt his visit to Moscow and return home as there was still fighting with ISIS's militants there.

Putin said he hoped the conflict in the Philippines would be resolved "with minimum losses". He also said there were the prospects for economic and military cooperation between Moscow and Manila. — with a report from Reuters/BAP, GMA News