The EU and the Philippines are strengthening security and defense ties, including a €15-million assistance measure to boost the country’s maritime domain awareness.
The European Union and the Philippines are strengthening their security and defense partnership, with both sides reaffirming cooperation on maritime security, cybersecurity, hybrid threats, and other emerging challenges in the Indo-Pacific.
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the European Commission Kaja Kallas met with Philippine Secretary of National Defense Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr. to discuss current geopolitical developments and ways to further deepen security and defense cooperation.
The two officials welcomed the positive outcomes of the Security and Defense Dialogue launched in June 2025, which has advanced collaboration in several areas, including maritime security, cybersecurity, hybrid threats, and foreign information manipulation and interference.
They also reaffirmed their shared commitment to a resilient, rules-based international order that supports peace, stability, and security in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond.
A key development in the partnership is the adoption by the Council of the European Union, following a proposal from Kallas, of the first-ever assistance measure under the European Peace Facility for the Philippines.
Worth €15 million, the measure marks a significant milestone in EU-Philippines security and defense cooperation and is the first European Peace Facility assistance measure to be implemented in the Indo-Pacific region.
The assistance will strengthen the maritime domain awareness capabilities of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. It will enhance the Philippine Navy’s ability to detect, monitor, and analyze activities within the country’s maritime zones, helping develop a more comprehensive maritime picture and improve early-warning capabilities.
The initiative is also expected to support more effective coordination and response among naval and maritime security forces.
Beyond strengthening operational capabilities, the EU described the assistance measure as an investment in the broader EU-Philippines partnership, mutual trust, regional stability, and a shared commitment to peace and security.
The latest development builds on growing cooperation between the European Union and the Philippines as both sides work to address evolving security challenges and support stability in the Indo-Pacific.
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