Prabowo Arrives in Vladivostok as Guest of Honor at 11th EEF
VLADIVOSTOK, Aktualita.co - President of the Republic of Indonesia Prabowo Subianto arrived at Vladivostok International Airport, Russian Federation, on Wednesday (9/2/2026) at 10:45 local time.
President Prabowo’s arrival in Vladivostok is to fulfill an invitation from the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, and to attend the 11th Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) held at the Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU).
In this economic forum, Prabowo is attending as the primary guest of honor. The Head of State’s presence is part of an effort to strengthen bilateral relations between Indonesia and Russia, which have developed across various strategic sectors in recent years.
Upon arrival at the airport, President Prabowo was welcomed by the Vice Governor of the Primorye Region, Said Yusupov, and the Minister of Foreign Relations of Vladivostok, Konstantin Sidorenko.
Also present to welcome the President were the Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus, Jose Antonio Morato Tavares, the Defense Attaché of the Indonesian Embassy in Moscow, Air Marshal Budi Susilo, and the Honorary Consul of the Republic of Indonesia in Vladivostok, Anton Zubkho.
Invited Directly by Vladimir Putin
Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya previously stated that President Prabowo’s attendance at the Eastern Economic Forum was by direct invitation from Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“President Putin specifically invited President Prabowo as the primary guest of honor for the EEF,” said Teddy.
The invitation reflects the increasingly close relationship between Indonesia and Russia, particularly in building high-level communication between the two heads of state.
In addition to attending the Eastern Economic Forum series, President Prabowo’s visit serves as a momentum to discuss opportunities for strengthening cooperation between Indonesia and Russia.
A number of sectors are expected to be the focus, ranging from economy, trade, investment, energy, downstreaming, higher education, and technology to various other strategic fields deemed to have potential for joint development.
Indonesia-Russia Trade Continues to Grow
Economic relations between Indonesia and Russia have shown positive development in recent years.
The bilateral trade value between the two countries in 2025 was recorded at approximately 5 billion US dollars. Indonesia and Russia also continue to encourage increased market access and expand investment opportunities in each country.
In 2026, Indonesia and Russia commemorate 76 years of diplomatic relations.
These relations have not only developed in the fields of politics and diplomacy but also encompass trade, investment, energy, defense, education, science, technology, and people-to-people ties.
Indonesia’s participation in the Eastern Economic Forum provides an opportunity to introduce national investment potential more broadly while opening access to economic cooperation in the Russian Far East region.
The region holds a strategic position as it faces the Asia-Pacific directly and is one of the areas being continuously developed by the Russian government as a new center for economic growth.
Eastern Economic Forum 2026
The 11th Eastern Economic Forum is taking place from September 1–4, 2026, at the Far Eastern Federal University, Vladivostok.
This year’s forum carries the theme “The Far East: Development for the Benefit of People,” with a focus on the development of the Russian Far East oriented toward improving public welfare.
The EEF agenda includes various discussions on investment, international trade, technology development, infrastructure construction, logistics, and inter-state economic cooperation.
The forum brings together heads of state, government officials, business leaders, investors, and various international stakeholders.
For Indonesia, the forum serves as a means of economic diplomacy to expand cooperation networks and attract investment that can support national economic growth.
Continuing Indonesia-Russia Diplomacy
Prabowo’s visit to Vladivostok continues the series of intensive diplomacy between Indonesia and Russia.
In 2025, President Prabowo also attended as a guest of honor at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).
During that visit, Prabowo met with President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg. Both leaders discussed various bilateral agendas and witnessed the exchange of several strategic cooperation documents.
Prabowo’s return to the Russian economic forum this year demonstrates Indonesia’s consistency in maintaining relations with Moscow while expanding cooperation opportunities that provide benefits for national interests.
Indonesia continues to implement a free and active foreign policy by building good relations with various countries amidst global geopolitical dynamics.
This approach allows Indonesia to expand economic partners without being tied to any single bloc or specific power.
Several Ministers Accompany the President
Before arriving in Vladivostok, President Prabowo and a limited entourage departed from Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base, Jakarta, on Tuesday (9/1/2026) at 23:20 WIB.
Several ministers accompanied the President on the flight to the Russian Federation.
They are Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto, Minister of Foreign Affairs Sugiono, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia, Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology Brian Yuliarto, and Minister of Investment and Downstreaming Rosan Roeslani.
Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya also accompanied the President.
The composition of the delegation highlights the strong economic dimension of President Prabowo’s visit to Russia.
The presence of ministers handling the economy, energy, investment, downstreaming, and higher education opens opportunities for more concrete cooperation discussions during the visit.
The Eastern Economic Forum also serves as an opportunity for Indone