Germany, India and beyond: is the Philippines building a post-US defence network?

With US foreign policy becoming increasingly erratic, the Philippines is building a global web of defence partnerships that analysts say aims to insulate the nation from what many view as Washington’s waning reliability.

Just last week, Philippine military chief General Romeo S. Brawner Jnr met his German counterpart, General Carsten Breuer, at the Munich Security Conference in Germany.

The two nations agreed to boost collaboration on cyber warfare, military training and maritime operations. The meeting was a significant moment in Manila’s growing effort to diversify its security alliances, according to analysts.

Contrast this with US Vice-President J.D. Vance’s appearance at the same event in Munich, where he lambasted Nato allies and defended former President Donald Trump’s controversial approach to resolving the war in Ukraine, which critics say could embolden Russia at the expense of Kyiv.

For Manila, watching the US juggle its commitments with Europe and Asia raises unsettling questions: if Washington cannot guarantee Europe’s security today, can it guarantee the Philippines’ tomorrow?

  

​Read More