Ukraine and the Philippines have reportedly begun negotiating a new defense partnership that could give Manila access to some of the world’s most battle-tested drone technology, as the Southeast Asian country seeks new ways to counter mounting pressure from China in the South China Sea.
The news comes as Ukraine begins to prove itself to the world as a wartime innovator, going on the offensive against Russia and targeting the country’s biggest and most critical oil refineries and other energy infrastructure. Now, Ukraine is looking to build on those successes and turn its burgeoning drone empire into a global business.
U.S. Army Pvt. 1st Class Ian Wojick, assigned to 552nd Military Police Company, 25th Infantry, aims a DroneBuster, an anti-drone weapon, toward the sky during the Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center Exportable (JPMRC-X) exercise at Fort Magsaysay, Philippines, June 1, 2025.
This iteration of the JPMRC-X marks the second Combat Training Center (CTC) rotation conducted in the Philippines. As part of the Army’s premier regional CTC, JPMRC-X enables the U.S. Army, joint force, allies, and partners to develop skills in realistic environments and conditions. Through exportable capabilities, JPMRC-X strengthens war-fighting readiness, enhances multilateral relationships, and contributes to regional security and stability in the Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Keith Thornburgh)
For the Philippines, working with Ukraine is obviously beneficial: it is a relatively inexpensive way to strengthen surveillance and deterrence against a much larger maritime rival without attempting to match China ship-for-ship.
It’s effectively the same strategy Ukraine has used to put Moscow on the defensive.
The groundwork for the new proposed partnership was laid on July 24, when Ihor Zhovkva, deputy head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, met a Philippine delegation led by Undersecretary of National Defense Salvador Mison during the first official visit by representatives of the Philippine Department of National Defense to Kyiv.
Kyiv and Manila Begin Work On Drone Deal
Ukraine disclosed the plans in a statement published by the Office of the President late last month, shortly after Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Ihor Zhovkva met Philippine Undersecretary of National Defense Salvador Mison in Kyiv during a visit.
The statement said that Zhovkva had briefed the Philippine delegation on Ukraine’s “Drone Deal” framework and that “the two sides agreed to begin work on the relevant arrangement between Ukraine and the Philippines.” It also said that officials from both governments would establish a dialogue to begin exchanging wartime experience.
“The main focus of the meeting was the development of defense cooperation. The Deputy Head of the Office of the President briefed the delegation on the possibility of concluding an agreement under the special Drone Deal format.
The two sides agreed to begin work on the relevant arrangement between Ukraine and the Philippines. Their respective teams will establish a dialogue to exchange Ukraine’s experience in warfare and introduce new defense practices,” the statement reads.
It followed defense discussions that had been underway since last year. In 2025, Ukraine proposed a memorandum of understanding that would have covered far more than just drone co-production, spanning technology exchanges and cybersecurity cooperation.
The latest talks are the first public confirmation from either government that those negotiations have moved beyond talks and into a proposal and plans to establish a formal agreement.
In the same July 24 statement, the meeting was said to have also covered cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, with Zhovkva asking Manila to support Ukraine’s bid to become an ASEAN Sectoral Dialogue Partner while the Philippines holds the organization’s chairmanship this year.
“The meeting also covered strengthening partnership in the Indo-Pacific region and Ukraine’s cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which is chaired by the Philippines this year.
Ihor Zhovkva noted that Ukraine hopes for the Philippines’ support in obtaining ASEAN Sectoral Dialogue Partner status,” it reads.
Why the Philippines Is Looking to Ukraine
The partnership for the Philippines is about much more than simply buying drones and getting a good deal.
Manila faces a persistent military weakness in the South China Sea, where Chinese coast guard vessels and naval ships routinely outnumber Philippine forces around disputed reefs and shoals.
Instead of attempting to match the Chinese navy, which isn’t feasible, defense planners in the Philippines are assessing how asymmetric capabilities could improve surveillance and extend operational reach without growing their navy to an unsustainable or unattainable size.
Ukraine has shown that this kind of effect is possible, having spent more than four years pushing back against a much larger invading force.
Ukraine’s drones have been used to strike Russian military targets hundreds of miles behind the front lines, and to identify targets and conduct reconnaissance.
The drones are even used to direct artillery fire and have challenged Russia’s Black Sea Fleet using relatively inexpensive surface vessels.
The Philippines is already investing in similar capabilities, too. In June, the United States transferred four Ocean Aero Triton autonomous surface and underwater vehicles to Manila to strengthen maritime surveillance and improve responses to illegal fishing, gray-zone operations and other threats in the South China Sea. Ukraine’s battlefield experience could significantly accelerate those efforts.
Ukraine Wants to Export Success
For Ukraine, the proposed partnership is just one piece of a larger puzzle, as Kyiv looks to forge drone partnerships worldwide.
Kyiv has already signed similar drone deal agreements with Latvia and the European Union, exporting not only drone technology but also battlefield experience and manufacturing expertise developed during more than four years of war with Russia.
About the Author: Jack Buckby
Jack Buckby is a British researcher and analyst specializing in defense and national security, based in New York. His work focuses on military capability, procurement, and strategic competition, producing and editing analysis for policy and defense audiences. He brings extensive editorial experience, with a career output spanning over 1,000 articles at 19FortyFive and National Security Journal, and has previously authored books and papers on extremism and deradicalization.
