The Philippines and Ukraine committed to bolstering their strategic partnership amid growing global security threats, during a high-level forum on Tuesday, co-hosted by the Stratbase Institute and the Embassy of Ukraine in the Philippines.
Titled “Strengthening Strategic Ties: Enhancing Cooperation between the Philippines and Ukraine,” the event brought together lawmakers, diplomats, military officials, and policy experts who emphasized the urgency of cooperation among democracies facing external aggression and coercion.
Stratbase Institute president Prof. Victor Andres “Dindo” Manhit said both nations are resisting incursions that threaten their sovereignty. “Ukraine is courageously defending its territory against outright armed aggression, while the Philippines asserts its sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea,” he said, calling deeper PH-Ukraine ties “urgent and strategic.”
Ukrainian Ambassador Yuliia Fediv echoed the sentiment, citing shared values: “Both of our nations are committed to defending sovereignty, territorial integrity, and upholding a rule-based international order.”
Ukrainian MP Tamila Tasheva and security expert Dr. Hanna Shelest highlighted the parallels between Ukraine’s challenges in the Black Sea and the Philippines’ maritime disputes in the West Philippine Sea. “Maritime security is not only about fleets and ports, but about protecting our people, trade, and the principles that keep our global order stable,” said Tasheva.
On the technological front, Ukrainian journalist Natalia Gumenyuk said battlefield innovation, especially in drone warfare, is rewriting modern military doctrines. “Ukrainians are creating the rules for the drone military doctrine of the civilized world,” she stated.
Several Ukrainian MPs underscored the economic and diplomatic potential of the partnership. MP Lesia Vasylenko cited Ukraine’s role in global food security, while MP Vadym Halaichuk called for stronger trade ties and reciprocal diplomatic missions.
Philippine experts also voiced concern over China’s growing maritime assertiveness. Retired Admiral Rommel Jude Ong warned of a “regional imbalance of naval power,” while former AFP Chief Gen. Emmanuel Bautista (Ret) stressed the need for deterrence and military readiness. “Nobody wins in war. We need to prevent it,” he said.
Dr. Chester Cabalza of the International Development and Security Cooperation highlighted both practical and symbolic cooperation. “Ukraine supported us in our UNSC bid. We should reciprocate,” he said, also pointing to Ukraine’s role as a key exporter of agricultural products.
The event followed an earlier Stratbase forum with the European Council on Foreign Relations, reinforcing the institute’s push for cross-regional strategies in addressing hybrid threats, lawfare, and emerging security technologies.
As global tensions persist, the Philippines and Ukraine appear determined to forge a partnership grounded in shared experience, mutual support, and a commitment to defending international law.
