Indonesian president to meet Putin on first Russia visit next week
JAKARTA: Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto will meet Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg next week, Indonesia's Foreign Ministry said on Thursday, as the leader of Southeast Asia's biggest economy is set to make his first visit to Russia since taking office.
Prabowo will begin his three-day visit on June 18, during which he will also attend the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.
'This visit is to fulfill the invitation from Russian President Vladimir Putin for a bilateral meeting,' Rolliansyah Soemirat, spokesperson for Indonesia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told reporters in Jakarta.
'This visit is also part of the 75-year anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries … (and) is expected to include discussions on the progress of bilateral cooperation as well as an exchange between the leaders on regional and global issues of common concern.'
Indonesia is also hoping to sign new agreements with Russia during the upcoming visit, he added without specifying details.
Prabowo last met Putin in July, during a trip to Russia as Indonesia's defense minister that took place months before he was inaugurated as the country's new president. He called Russia a 'great friend' at the time and said he wanted to develop nuclear energy cooperation with Moscow.
The two countries held their first joint naval drills on Java in November. It was followed by talks between Indonesia's Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin and Sergei Shoigu, the secretary of the Russian Federation Security Council, in Jakarta in February, during which they discussed ways to strengthen defense ties.
Indonesia also became a full member of the BRICS bloc of emerging economies in January, a geopolitical forum that was co-founded by Russia.
Since taking office, Prabowo has visited over a dozen countries, including China, the US and the UAE.
The 73-year-old leader has committed to maintaining the country's long-standing 'free and active' foreign policy. Under the non-aligned approach, Jakarta has refused to take sides over Russia's invasion in Ukraine.
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