Combined General Meeting of July 22, 2025 Conditions for Obtaining the Preparatory Documents
THE Philippines and Lithuania have taken a significant step in strengthening their defense partnership with the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU), formalizing cooperation in key areas such as cybersecurity, maritime security, and munitions production.
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and Lithuanian National Defense Minister Dovile Sakaliene signed the agreement in Makati City on Monday, solidifying what both sides described as a growing defense relationship grounded in shared democratic values and a commitment to international law.
“This MOU provides a solid framework for practical cooperation between our defense establishments in addressing evolving threats — from hybrid warfare to maritime challenges,” Teodoro said.
Sakaliene is on a four-day official visit to the Philippines, the first ever by a Lithuanian defense minister. Her trip comes less than a month after she and Teodoro met on the sidelines of the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, where both agreed to expand collaboration amid rising geopolitical tensions in their respective regions.
The agreement specifically outlines cooperation in cybersecurity, defense industry development, joint munitions production, countering hybrid threats, and maritime domain awareness.
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In their bilateral meeting prior to the signing, both officials discussed pressing global security issues, including the situation in the West Philippine Sea and the broader South China Sea, as well as tensions in Eastern Europe.
Sakaliene reaffirmed Lithuania’s support for the 2016 arbitral ruling favoring the Philippines and denounced unilateral actions that undermine regional stability.
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“Lithuania stands with the Philippines in upholding a rules-based international order,” she said.
The Philippines, under the Marcos administration, has been expanding its defense ties beyond traditional partners, increasingly engaging European countries amid continued pressure from China in the South China Sea.
