Putin: Russia-ASEAN a balancing force amid global turmoil

Russia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) act as an important stabilising force in the Asia-Pacific region amid ongoing global turmoil, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday at the Russia-ASEAN summit held in Kazan. Putin stated that the results of Russia-ASEAN cooperation are very tangible. “We have built a solid legal and contractual framework for bilateral relations, and developed an extensive network of joint cooperation mechanisms,” he said. New dialogue platforms have been launched, and practical cooperation has been expanded in various fields, including addressing evolving security challenges and threats, trade and investment, energy, agriculture, digital transformation, science and technology, tourism, as well as people-to-people and humanitarian exchanges, he explained. The summit marked the 35th anniversary of Russia-ASEAN diplomatic relations and brought together heads of state and government, senior political figures, and high-ranking officials from all 11 ASEAN member countries, along with the ASEAN Secretary-General. At the summit, the Kazan Declaration was adopted, affirming a commitment to building a just, democratic, and multipolar world order based on universally recognised principles of international law and the UN Charter, according to Yuri Ushakov, an aide to the Russian president. Additionally, a comprehensive action plan to implement the Russia-ASEAN Strategic Partnership for 2026-2030 was approved, outlining various measures to deepen bilateral cooperation in politics and security, trade and investment, as well as cultural and humanitarian fields. Putin said the summit produced many constructive ideas and proposals that could be considered to revive the bilateral economic partnership. “Participants voiced support for both the quantitative expansion and qualitative improvement of bilateral trade, optimisation of the trade structure, and increasing the scale of mutual investment,” the Russian president said. “It is very important to shift the settlement of cross-border commercial transactions to national currencies, eliminate remaining trade barriers, and simplify administrative licensing procedures,” Putin stressed. Putin stated that Russia will increase exports of high-value-added goods, including fertilisers and pharmaceutical products to ASEAN, while continuing food and energy supplies, and supporting the development of civilian nuclear power in the bloc. At a press conference following the summit, Putin said both sides welcomed the agreement reached between Iran and the United States to de-escalate military tensions and negotiate terms for a permanent peace agreement. Both sides hope stability can return to the Middle East and the Persian Gulf, which will have a positive impact on global energy and food markets, Putin noted.