Indonesia's President Prabowo receives call from Trump ahead of Russia visit
INDONESIA: President Prabowo Subianto received a 15-minute phone call from United States President Donald Trump (pic) on Thursday (June 12) evening, during which both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral ties and supporting global stability, just days before Prabowo is set to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"As leaders of two major countries, President Prabowo and President Trump agreed to deepen cooperation between Indonesia and the US,' Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya said in a statement on Friday (June 13).
'Both reiterated their support for efforts to maintain global peace and stability'.
The call marked the second conversation between the two presidents since Trump's re-election in 2024.
They last spoke in November, when Prabowo congratulated Trump on his victory.
Thursday's call came ahead of Prabowo's state visit to Moscow, where he is scheduled to meet Putin on Wednesday.
The visit coincides with the 75th anniversary of Indonesia-Russia diplomatic relations and is expected to result in a joint declaration and at least three memorandums of understanding (MoUs) on cooperation.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Rolliansyah Soemirat confirmed that the president would not attend the Group of Seven (G7) Summit in Canada on Tuesday, citing a scheduling conflict.
Prabowo is set to travel to Singapore on Monday before continuing on to Russia.
Rolliansyah noted that the Moscow visit had been planned since 2024. Prabowo's diplomatic balancing act comes amid escalating tensions between Washington and Moscow over Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine.
Trump recently described Putin as 'crazy' for intensifying attacks on Ukrainian cities, warning that such aggression could lead to Russia's downfall.
Despite the geopolitical strain, Prabowo has maintained Jakarta's ties with Moscow, particularly in trade and defense procurement.
He also held talks with Putin last year, ahead of his presidential inauguration in October. - The Jakarta Post/ANN
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