At the instruction of the President of Ukraine and the Head of the Office of the President, Deputy Head of the Office of the President Ihor Zhovkva held an online meeting with Deputy Director General of the National Security Council of the Republic of the Philippines Nestor Herico.
Ihor Zhovkva thanked the Philippines for its consistent support of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The interlocutors discussed the results of the first visit of the President of Ukraine to the Philippines in June last year, which was the first in the history of bilateral relations. Ihor Zhovkva and Nestor Herico agreed on the importance of deepening cooperation in the defense, security, and trade and economic spheres.
A particular focus of the conversation was on prospects for mutually beneficial partnership in food security and the creation of effective institutional mechanisms. The parties agreed to step up efforts to sign an Agreement on the Establishment of a Joint Commission on Trade, Economic, and Scientific and Technical Cooperation.
“Despite the war, Ukraine remains a steadfast guarantor of global food security. We are ready for closer cooperation with the Philippines to ensure the supply of Ukrainian products to the countries of the region,” Ihor Zhovkva emphasized.
Ukraine is also ready to cooperate in the fields of cybersecurity, countering disinformation, and strengthening information resilience against external threats.
The conversation also touched upon further contacts between the leaders of Ukraine and the Philippines.