President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. announced that he spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to reaffirm bilateral ties and explore areas of cooperation, particularly in food security, agriculture, and digitalization.
In a post on his official Facebook account, Mr. Marcos said the phone conversation on Thursday focused on strengthening collaboration as the Philippines prepares to assume the ASEAN chairmanship in 2026.
“I spoke with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy today to reaffirm our warm relations and discuss areas where our countries can work together,” Mr. Marcos said.
“We focused on cooperation in food security, agriculture, and digitalization,” he added.
He said both leaders also discussed enhancing ASEAN–Ukraine engagement, as the Philippines is set to host the annual summit next year.
“As the Philippines assumes the Chairship of ASEAN, we also discussed ways to strengthen ASEAN–Ukraine engagement for the benefit of our peoples,” President Marcos noted.
The call comes as Ukraine continues to seek deeper engagement with Asian partners amid the ongoing conflict with Russia.
Zelenskyy previously visited the country in 2024 for a meeting with the Philippine leader.
Mr. Marcos did not detail specific programs discussed but emphasized Manila’s interest in broadening cooperation with Kyiv in strategic sectors.
