MANILA – President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. held a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to look into new areas of partnership, particularly in food security, agriculture, and digital transformation.
Marcos, in a Facebook update, noted that his exchange with Zelenskyy reinforced the long-standing ties between Manila and Kyiv and created opportunities to broaden cooperation in key fields.
“I spoke with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy today to reaffirm our warm relations and discuss areas where our countries can work together,” Marcos said.
“We focused on cooperation in food security, agriculture, and digitalization,” he added.
Zelenskyy, posting earlier on X, said the Philippines had shown interest in Ukraine’s technological strengths and expertise.
“We agreed that our teams will follow up on all these matters in the near future,” he said.
The Ukrainian leader also conveyed his sympathies over the casualties and damage brought by recent typhoons in the Philippines.
Zelenskyy said he briefed Marcos on Ukraine’s ongoing coordination with the United States and other allies in efforts to secure a durable peace. He likewise thanked the Philippines for its support and its “clear stance” on peace initiatives, as well as on Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Marcos added that as the Philippines prepares to assume the chairmanship of the Association of Asian Nations in 2026, he and Zelenskyy also talked about ways to strengthen Ukraine’s engagement with the regional bloc.
Diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Ukraine were formally established in 1992./PN
