Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Ihor Zhovkva met with Philippine Undersecretary of National Defense Salvador Mison, who arrived in Ukraine at the head of an official delegation. This is the first official visit to Ukraine by a delegation from the Philippine Department of National Defense in the history of bilateral relations.
The delegation's visit builds on the bilateral dialogue that began with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's visit to the Philippines in 2024.
Ihor Zhovkva thanked the Philippines for its support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, including in international platforms.
The main focus of the meeting was the development of defense cooperation. The Deputy Head of the Office of the President briefed the delegation on the possibility of concluding an agreement under the special Drone Deal format. The two sides agreed to begin work on the relevant arrangement between Ukraine and the Philippines. Their respective teams will establish a dialogue to exchange Ukraine's experience in warfare and introduce new defense practices.
The meeting also covered strengthening partnership in the Indo-Pacific region and Ukraine's cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which is chaired by the Philippines this year. Ihor Zhovkva noted that Ukraine hopes for the Philippines' support in obtaining ASEAN Sectoral Dialogue Partner status.
The Deputy Head of the Office of the President also noted that bilateral relations between the two countries have grown stronger since the opening of Ukraine's Embassy in the Philippines. He expressed hope that the Philippines will soon open a fully functioning embassy in Kyiv.