Prabowo skips G7 summit to meet Putin in Russia
JAKARTA: President Prabowo Subianto will fly to Russia next week to meet with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin and attend several economic events in the European country, snubbing an invitation to attend the Group of Seven (G7) Summit in Canada.
The President will go to Russia with a limited delegation at Putin's invitation, according to the Foreign Ministry, where the two leaders will engage in discussions on 'the latest global developments and issues of common concerns' to mark the 75th anniversary of Indonesia-Russia relations.
In a week packed with international economic and political engagements, Prabowo is slated to fly out of Jakarta on Monday (June 16) and to visit Singapore first. He is expected to start his two-day visit in Russia on Wednesday, where he will produce a high-level declaration as well as at least three memorandums of understanding (MoU) following a tête-à-tête with Putin, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Rolliansyah Soemirat said.
Prabowo will also attend the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in St. Petersburg during his visit. The trip will mark Prabowo's first official visit to Singapore and Russia since taking office last October.
As his agenda in Russia kicks off on Wednesday, the President will not be attending the G7 Summit in Canada slated for Tuesday, to which he was invited by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney earlier this week
Rolliansyah did not disclose which invitation had arrived first when asked by reporters. But he reassured that Prabowo had been planning to visit Russia since last 2024, and had already made a promise to visit Singapore prior to Carney's G7 invite. Not attending the G7 meeting, Rolliansyah underlined, is a consequence of the President 'staying true to himself in fulfilling prior commitments'.
'We cannot see the President and the foreign minister's activities only through the lens of attendances or representations, but also in how these activities can benefit a larger national interest,' the ministry spokesperson said.
The agreements to be signed with Russia will touch on cooperation on transportation, higher education and creative economy, although negotiations on other matters are still taking place.
Prabowo previously met with Putin in Moscow in July last year during his European tour a few months after being declared president-elect by the country's poll body.
At that time, Prabowo reaffirmed Russia's historical significance for Indonesia and pledged to strengthen the two countries' relationship once in office.
During the July 2024 meeting, Putin also emphasised that Indonesia is of interest to Russia, given its large population. The Russian president also promised to increase Moscow's agricultural exports and to bring energy, transportation and infrastructure projects to Indonesia.
Responding to Prabowo's Russian visit in July 2024, experts said the move was a signal against Western-oriented global leadership. The perception of Prabowo possibly having reservations against Western leadership further gained traction when he entered Indonesia into BRICS, the economic coalition founded by Russia and China with a strong counter-West reputation, less than six months after meeting Putin in Moscow.
Indonesia is not a member of the West-leaning G7 grouping, but has attended several of its summits as a guest when former president Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo was in office.
During the Jokowi administration, Indonesia attempted to maintain a balance in its relationship among competing global powers, including when it dismissed calls not to invite Russia to the Group of Twenty (G20) Summit in Bali in 2022.
As president, Prabowo has on various occasions emphasised his refusal to be led by any foreign power, frequently underlining the need for a fairer international system and a national interest-first approach to foreign policy.
The focus on Indonesia's national interests is also expected to be at the forefront of Prabowo's visit to Singapore. His discussion with Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, according to the Foreign Ministry, will revolve around future strategic engagements focusing on the economy.
'Strategic cooperation will be discussed,' Rolliansyah said, 'and it will be done in the format of a retreat, in which leaders are typically more open to express their views and give their insights.'
Singapore has been Indonesia's largest source of foreign direct investment in the last decade. A total of US$20.1 billion was funnelled into the country last year, and US$4.6 billion was invested during the first quarter of 2025.
Monday's meeting will mark the first official meeting between the leaders. But Prabowo has met Wong several times, including during the latter's state visit to Jakarta in November for an 'introductory' meeting.
During the November meeting, both leaders reaffirmed the strong friendship between Indonesia and Singapore. Prabowo emphasised five priority areas for bilateral cooperation, including defence, food security and human capital development. - The Jakarta Post/ANN
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