Prabowo: Indonesia never forgets friendship with Russia
Indonesia and Russia have been friends for several decades.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Prabowo Subianto has asserted that Indonesia does not forget its friendship with Russia, including the support provided by the Soviet Union during the early years of the Republic of Indonesia’s independence.
Delivering his speech as the guest of honour at the 11th Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) in Vladivostok, Russia, on Thursday, Prabowo stated that Indonesia still remembers the Soviet Union’s support during the republic’s formative years.
“Indonesia and Russia have been friends for decades. Indonesia remembers the support of the Soviet Union during the early years of our young republic. We remember that history and we never forget our friends,” said Prabowo, as monitored via a live broadcast on the Presidential Secretariat’s YouTube channel.
Diplomatic relations between Indonesia and Russia have been established for over 76 years, since they were opened on 3 February 1950.
However, Prabowo noted that the friendship between the two nations should not rely solely on past history. According to him, the current generation must have the courage to open a new chapter in the relationship between Indonesia and Russia.
“However, friendship cannot live on history alone. Our generation must have the courage to write a new chapter,” he said.
Prabendo invited Indonesia and Russia to build an equal, independent, and mutually beneficial relationship, measuring the connection between the two nations by the benefits it can provide to their respective peoples.
“Let us be equal, let us be independent, let us work together reciprocally for the interests of our two countries, and let us be measured by what our efforts can produce for our people,” he stated.
Furthermore, Prabowo remarked that peace cannot be separated from development. In his view, hunger, unemployment, injustice, and humiliation serve as the fuel for conflict.
He assessed that development which provides opportunities, the ability of a state to provide food for its people, and open trade within the Asia-Pacific region constitute real contributions to peace.
“Sovereignty enables peace. Peace enables development. And development for the benefit of the people makes that peace sustainable,” said Prabowo.
President Prabowo is in Vladivostok to attend the 11th EEF, taking place from 1–4 September 2026, and is attending as the guest of honour at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The EEF serves as a platform to strengthen Russia’s economic cooperation with countries in the Asia-Pacific region through trade, investment, and cooperation across various sectors.