Benjie Alejandro

As the war in Ukraine drags on, Kyiv has been pushing harder to gain entry into ASEAN as a sectoral partner. It is an ambitious move, especially with its stated goal of reaching $5 billion in trade by 2026. 

Yet the reality is sobering. Ukraine’s economy is struggling, and its military burden grows heavier by the day due to its conflict with Russia. Many analysts believe the target is unlikely to be met. The initiative is seen less as an economic strategy and more as a political maneuver—an attempt to carve out greater space in the international arena. 

If Ukraine were to join ASEAN, concerns arise that it might use the platform to advance an anti-Russia and anti-China agenda aligned with Western interests. The risk: ASEAN could be dragged into the tensions of major powers, undermining the delicate diplomatic balance the region has long sought to preserve. 

Beyond that, Kyiv is expected to seek military and humanitarian assistance from ASEAN members—requests that would inevitably strain relations with Moscow and Beijing. 

In the Philippines, the issue is even more sensitive. Reports suggest that the Ukrainian Embassy has been actively engaging universities and young people, allegedly recruiting Filipinos to serve as soldiers. Promises of high salaries and EU citizenship are dangled, while cases of corruption, discrimination, and unpaid wages among foreign recruits are downplayed. Should any Filipino be harmed, the damage would extend beyond lost lives to the government’s credibility in the eyes of both the world and its own citizens. 

It will be recalled that during President Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to Manila, he met with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and requested that the Philippines send specialists to help rehabilitate Ukrainian soldiers traumatized by war. 

If the Philippines agrees, it could be seen as siding with the anti-Russia bloc—a step that runs counter to the principle of “friend to all, enemy to none.” And if the supposed trade-off is Ukraine’s support in the West Philippine Sea dispute against China, many doubt whether Kyiv has the capacity to help, given that it is itself mired in war. 

In the end, the government must weigh all these factors carefully. Friendship is valuable, but neutrality and national interest must not be sacrificed for a distant conflict. 

The most practical course: remain open to all, but resist dictates and pressures from powerful nations.