In a meeting with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky announced plans to open an embassy in the Philippines this year to enhance the relationship between the two countries.
“I am very happy that this year we will open an embassy in Manila,” Zelensky stated during the meeting.
Expressing gratitude for the Philippines’ support of Ukraine, Zelensky and Marcos discussed the importance of promoting peace and finding a political resolution for Ukraine.
Currently, Kyiv has an honorary consulate in Manila, under the Embassy of Ukraine in Malaysia. The diplomatic ties between the two nations were formally established in April 1992 and have since spanned 32 years.
In trade relations, Ukraine was the Philippines’ 90th trading partner in 2022, serving as the 119th export market and the 76th import source. Despite once being a second home to nearly 200 Filipinos, the number has declined to around 25 individuals, mostly Filipinos married to Ukrainians, due to the ongoing conflict in the region.
