Palace explains Prabowo's cancellation of Russia trip this week

Minister of State Secretary and Presidential Spokesperson Prasetyo Hadi has explained the reason President Prabowo Subianto cancelled his attendance at the ASEAN-Russia Commemorative Summit in Kazan, Russia, scheduled for 17–18 June 2026. Prasetyo stated that one consideration was that President Prabowo had recently met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on 13 April 2026, and subsequently met several ASEAN leaders at the ASEAN Summit in Cebu, Philippines, on 7–8 May 2026. “He has his own considerations because there are still many things he wants to focus on resolving domestically,” Prasetyo told reporters at the main gate of Prabowo’s private residence, Padepokan Garuda Yaksa, in Hambalang, Bogor Regency, West Java, on Wednesday. “Secondly, he also met with high-level leaders of ASEAN countries some time ago in the Philippines, where many matters were discussed, including bilateral relations with friendly nations, especially Russia. He also met President Putin recently and discussed many things,” Prasetyo continued. He added that several cooperation initiatives with Russia have now entered technical discussions. President Putin had personally invited President Prabowo to return to Russia for the ASEAN-Russia Commemorative Summit in Kazan, Tatarstan, during their bilateral meeting in Moscow on 13 April 2026. Foreign Minister Sugiono, in a video recorded in Moscow and broadcast by the Presidential Secretariat, explained that the invitation was extended when the two leaders met at the Kremlin Palace. “President Putin also conveyed an invitation for President Prabowo to attend an event in Kazan, to be held in May, as well as a major industrial exhibition scheduled for July,” said Foreign Minister Sugiono in the official broadcast. The invitation was part of efforts to strengthen bilateral relations, which are expected to become more intensive and bring benefits to both parties.