PBBM, Zelensky reaffirm ties; eye stronger agri, digitalization links

MANILA, November 28 ------ President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr announced that he spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to explore deeper cooperation in food security, agriculture, and digitalization.

In a Facebook post, Marcos said the discussion with Zelenskyy reaffirmed the Philippines and Ukraine’s bilateral relations and opened doors for expanded collaboration in priority sectors. “I spoke with President Volodymyr Zelensky 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.

Zelensky, in an X post on Thursday, said the Philippines has expressed interest in Ukraine’s expertise and technologies. “We agreed that our teams will follow up on all these matters in the near future,” he said. Zelensky also extended his condolences to the Philippines for the lives lost and the destruction caused by the recent typhoons.

He said he also briefed Marcos on Ukraine’s joint work with the United States and other partners toward establishing a lasting peace. He expressed appreciation for the Philippines' support for and clear stance on peace efforts and Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

As the Philippines prepares to serve as Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) chair in 2026, Marcos said he and Zelenskyy also discussed ways to enhance engagement between Ukraine and the 11-member regional bloc. The Philippines and Ukraine established bilateral relations in 1992.

Source: pna.gov.ph