Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro, Jr. met today with Kaja Kallas, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the European Commission, in Manila to strengthen defense and security ties between the Philippines and the EU.
During the bilateral meeting, Secretary Teodoro conveyed the deep appreciation of the Filipino people, the DND, and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for the EU’s firm stance on international maritime law.
He specifically acknowledged High Representative Kallas’s recent statement issued on behalf of the EU regarding the 10th anniversary of the 2016 Arbitral Tribunal Award on the South China Sea, emphasizing that it reflects the unanimous and unconditional support of all 27 EU member states for the ruling.
Reaffirming the country’s maritime role, Secretary Teodoro highlighted the Philippines’ vision as an “Archipelagic Sentinel and Guardian of the Freedom of the Seas”—a concept he first introduced at the 2026 Shangri-La Dialogue. Both leaders underscored the importance of maintaining a rules-based international order, ensuring regional stability, and safeguarding free and open sea lanes.
HR/VP Kallas is visiting Manila to participate in a series of high-level regional diplomacy events, including the EU-ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conference, the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, the 33rd ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Ministerial Meeting, and celebrations commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC).
The meeting marks a major milestone in deepening the Philippines-EU security partnership amidst evolving geopolitical dynamics in the Indo-Pacific.
