Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto have agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation during a meeting on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok.
On Thursday, Putin described Indonesia as one of Russia's key partners in Southeast Asia and said bilateral trade volume expanded by more than 12 percent last year.
"Indonesia is one of Russia's key partners in Southeast Asia, and we have been linked by friendship for many years. Trade is developing; it is growing; last year it was over 12 percent plus," he said.
Putin also highlighted the free trade agreement between the Eurasian Economic Union and Indonesia, as well as cooperation between Moscow and Jakarta through the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the UN, and other international platforms.
Prabowo said Indonesia regarded Russia as an important partner and welcomed the development of bilateral relations to the level of a strategic partnership last year.
"Our relations are growing very strongly, including in trade and economic cooperation, and we are ready to further strengthen our relations," he said.
The Indonesian president said the two countries shared an interest in expanding cooperation across the Pacific, particularly in maritime affairs and connectivity.
"We are part of the Pacific, and for us, cooperation in the field of maritime cooperation and connectivity is very important," Prabowo said.
‘A natural gateway’
The meeting was the second between Putin and Prabowo this year. Putin said their personal contacts reflected the strategic nature of relations between Russia and Indonesia.
The Indonesian president told the forum during his address that the country serves as a "natural gateway to ASEAN," providing access to approximately 680 million people.
"For the Eurasian business community, Indonesia serves as a natural gateway to ASEAN. We are the region's largest market, a central player in the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), and now, a free trade partner," he said, according to state-run news agency Antara.
Prabowo also said that the free trade agreement will give Eurasian producers access to a market of over 290 million Indonesian consumers, while noting that it will open access for Indonesian producers to the five Eurasian Economic Union member states, including Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia.
Prabowo additionally proposed that Indonesia and Russia set a "clear challenge" to double their trade within the first review period of the agreement.
The bilateral trade between Russia and Indonesia stood at around $5 billion in 2025, up 21.7 percent from 2024.
