ASEAN to review Ukraine's bid for dialogue partner status
By AUFA MARDHIAH & HIDAYATH HISHAM
ASEAN will review Ukraine's application to become a Sectoral Dialogue Partner, with further deliberations to be undertaken at the senior officials' level.
Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan (picture) said the matter had been referred to the ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) to explore how the grouping can engage with Ukraine moving forward.
'We want to explore how best we can work in Ukraine in the agreement,' he told reporters during a press conference in Kuala Lumpur today.
According to official meeting documents, Mohamad on behalf of Malaysia as ASEAN Chairman, noted that the review process is ongoing and requested the SOM to proceed accordingly.
No timeline has been set for a decision, but the matter may be discussed at the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting scheduled for July.
Ukraine's push to formalise relations with ASEAN follows its accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) in 2022, which marked a key step towards institutional engagement with the regional bloc.
In 2023, Ukraine submitted a draft Priority Plan to the ASEAN Secretariat proposing cooperation in areas such as food security, digital economy, energy, trade, disaster management, and socio-cultural exchange.
The application for Sectoral Dialogue Partner status is part of Kyiv's broader strategy to deepen ties in the Asia-Pacific amid its ongoing conflict with Russia. The move is seen as an effort to diversify diplomatic engagement and secure support from emerging regions.
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