Putin and leaders of Southeast Asia agree to bolster ties at a summit in Russia
Putin and leaders of Southeast Asia agree to bolster ties at a summit in Russia
Russian President Vladimir Putin, center, attends the Russia-ASEAN summit in Kazan, Russia, Thursday, June 18, 2026. (Kristina Solovyova/Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends the Russia-ASEAN summit in Kazan, Russia, Thursday, June 18, 2026. (Kristina Solovyova/Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends the Russia-ASEAN summit in Kazan, Russia, Thursday, June 18, 2026. (Sergei Bobylev/Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
From left, ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn, Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Russian President Vladimir Putin, Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, Prime Minister of East Timor Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao, Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung, Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono and Permanent Secretary of the Myanmar Foreign Ministry, Senior Official for ASEAN Hau Khan Sum pose for a photo on the sidelines of the Russia-ASEAN summit in Kazan, Russia, Thursday, June 18, 2026. (Mikhail Metzel, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
From left, ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn, Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Russian President Vladimir Putin, Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, Prime Minister of East Timor Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao, Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung, Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono and Permanent Secretary of the Myanmar Foreign Ministry, Senior Official for ASEAN Hau Khan Sum pose for a photo on the sidelines of the Russia-ASEAN summit in Kazan, Russia, Thursday, June 18, 2026. (Sergei Bobylev/Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP) Addition: Adds names of the heads of delegations
Russian President Vladimir Putin, center, attends the Russia-ASEAN summit in Kazan, Russia, Thursday, June 18, 2026. (Kristina Solovyova/Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
Russian President Vladimir Putin, center, attends the Russia-ASEAN summit in Kazan, Russia, Thursday, June 18, 2026. (Kristina Solovyova/Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends the Russia-ASEAN summit in Kazan, Russia, Thursday, June 18, 2026. (Kristina Solovyova/Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends the Russia-ASEAN summit in Kazan, Russia, Thursday, June 18, 2026. (Kristina Solovyova/Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends the Russia-ASEAN summit in Kazan, Russia, Thursday, June 18, 2026. (Sergei Bobylev/Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends the Russia-ASEAN summit in Kazan, Russia, Thursday, June 18, 2026. (Sergei Bobylev/Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
From left, ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn, Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Russian President Vladimir Putin, Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, Prime Minister of East Timor Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao, Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung, Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono and Permanent Secretary of the Myanmar Foreign Ministry, Senior Official for ASEAN Hau Khan Sum pose for a photo on the sidelines of the Russia-ASEAN summit in Kazan, Russia, Thursday, June 18, 2026. (Mikhail Metzel, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
From left, ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn, Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Russian President Vladimir Putin, Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, Prime Minister of East Timor Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao, Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung, Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono and Permanent Secretary of the Myanmar Foreign Ministry, Senior Official for ASEAN Hau Khan Sum pose for a photo on the sidelines of the Russia-ASEAN summit in Kazan, Russia, Thursday, June 18, 2026. (Mikhail Metzel, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
From left, ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn, Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Russian President Vladimir Putin, Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, Prime Minister of East Timor Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao, Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung, Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono and Permanent Secretary of the Myanmar Foreign Ministry, Senior Official for ASEAN Hau Khan Sum pose for a photo on the sidelines of the Russia-ASEAN summit in Kazan, Russia, Thursday, June 18, 2026. (Sergei Bobylev/Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP) Addition: Adds names of the heads of delegations
From left, ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn, Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Russian President Vladimir Putin, Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, Prime Minister of East Timor Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao, Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung, Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono and Permanent Secretary of the Myanmar Foreign Ministry, Senior Official for ASEAN Hau Khan Sum pose for a photo on the sidelines of the Russia-ASEAN summit in Kazan, Russia, Thursday, June 18, 2026. (Sergei Bobylev/Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP) Addition: Adds names of the heads of delegations
MOSCOW (AP) — President Vladimir Putin on Thursday hailed Russia’s ties with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations as he hosted a summit intended to strengthen economic and political ties with the bloc.
The leaders who took part in the meeting in Kazan agreed to further expand “strategic partnership” between Russia and ASEAN nations that include Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, East Timor and Vietnam.
“It is a strategic partnership that serves as an essential stabilizing factor in the Asia-Pacific amidst geopolitical turbulence, contributing to the formation of a balanced security architecture and equitable mutually beneficial cooperation,” Putin said at the summit, which marked the 35th anniversary of Russia-ASEAN relations.
The summit’s agenda included exchanging views on global and regional issues, reviewing efforts to develop Russia-ASEAN ties and discussing areas and tasks for future cooperation.
Putin noted that Russia and ASEAN have “expanded the scope of practical cooperation in such areas as combating new security challenges and threats, as well as trade and investment, energy, agriculture, digitalization, science and technology, tourism, and humanitarian contacts.”
In a declaration signed at the summit, its participants reaffirmed their shared aspiration toward a “just multipolar world as guided by international law and the principles of the U.N. Charter to promote mutual benefit and respect for all states.”
They noted that the Kazan summit marked a “significant milestone” in Russia-ASEAN relations and pledged to maintain top-level contacts between Russia and the bloc to advance their “strategic partnership.”
Putin also held a series of bilateral meetings with ASEAN leaders during the summit, which he co-chaired with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., whose country holds the association’s rotating presidency.
Some of ASEAN’s diverse member countries, including the Philippines, are seen to be aligned with the United States, while others have heavy trade and security engagements with China and Russia.
Several ASEAN members, including the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam, have either imported Russian crude oil or expressed interest in purchasing it after global fuel prices soared in the wake of the war in Iran.
