President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz held a phone conversation on Thursday to discuss key areas of cooperation and reinforce the strong bilateral relationship between the Philippines and Germany.
The two leaders focused on a range of shared interests, including strengthening defense and economic cooperation. Their discussion also covered collaborative efforts on regional issues and exploring new avenues to create more opportunities for their respective citizens.
In a statement following the call, President Marcos described the exchange as a “good conversation.”
“We talked about strengthening our defense and economic cooperation, working together on regional issues, and creating more opportunities for our people,” the President said. “I also thanked him for the kind invitation to visit Germany again soon.”
The phone call marks an important engagement with Germany’s new leadership, as Chancellor Merz was elected and sworn into office on May 6, 2025.
President Marcos’s last working visit to Germany was in March 2024, at the invitation of then-Chancellor Olaf Scholz, which coincided with the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations.
