EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas on 24 July 2026 launched the Kyiv-Manila Strategic Dialogues in Manila, calling for intensified global pressure on Russia to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine. Speaking at the event, Kallas stressed that the war is not solely a European concern, citing disruptions to food and energy supplies, inflation, and erosion of international norms as global consequences. She noted that the Philippines and Indonesia lost over half their wheat supply from Ukraine, while Vietnam faced an estimated €1.5 billion in lost imports of corn, fertilizers, steel, and coal. Kallas also invited the Philippines to join the Special Tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine, established to fill gaps in the international legal system.
Kallas highlighted Ukraine's resilience and technological edge, stating that some analysts believe Russia is losing its grip on occupied territory for the first time since 2023. She referenced a major EU initiative announced the previous week to collaborate with Ukraine on drones, describing Ukraine's battlefields as a laboratory for modern warfare. The EU, she said, will support Ukraine for as long as it takes, and Ukraine is steadily progressing toward EU membership. Kallas also thanked the Philippine private sector for donating electricity generators to Ukraine during the past winter.
The speech underscored the EU's dual approach of sanctions and military support for Ukraine, while framing the war as a direct threat to global peace that requires coordinated international action. Kallas urged firm pressure on Russia combined with accountability efforts, particularly as the International Criminal Court faces pressure. The launch of the Kyiv-Manila Strategic Dialogues marks a new bilateral forum between Ukraine and the Philippines, facilitated by the EU, to deepen cooperation on security, economic resilience, and rule of law.