During his official visit to the Philippines, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with the country’s President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., marking the first-ever meeting between the two nations' leaders.
Zelensky expressed gratitude to the Philippines for its support of Ukraine, and announced plans to open a Ukrainian embassy in Manila this year to enhance bilateral cooperation.
“I am grateful to the Philippines for supporting Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, for its clear position on Russia's aggression against our country, and for supporting important UN resolutions,” Zelensky said.
The discussions included the upcoming global peace summit, with the Philippines set to participate. Zelensky emphasized the importance of Southeast Asian countries participating.
Additionally, the leaders talked about the potential for increased Ukrainian agricultural exports to the Philippines.
Zelensky's visit followed his participation in the Shangri-La Dialogue security forum in Singapore.
The Shangri-La Dialogue is Asia's premier defense summit, held annually in Singapore by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), an independent think tank.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
(Updated: )
