ST PETERSBURG: Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto held talks with President Vladimir Putin in the northern Russian city of St Petersburg on Thursday (Jun 19) as they explore ways to deepen what some officials have called a burgeoning strategic partnership.
Following the talks, the two leaders signed a declaration on a strategic partnership between the two nations, the Kremlin said.
The deepening of ties between Russia and Indonesia, part of Moscow’s bid to forge new relations with the Global South amid Western attempts to isolate it over the Ukraine war, has perturbed some powers such as Australia.
Sovereign wealth fund Danantara Indonesia and the Russian Direct Investment Fund also signed an agreement on Thursday to create a joint investment fund worth 2 billion euros (US$2.29 billion). The agreement was signed by both CEOs and witnessed by Subianto and Putin.
Meeting in the Constantine Palace, Putin noted Indonesia’s entry into BRICS as a full member and said he was sure it would make a significant contribution to the grouping, which he said was gaining clout in the world.
Prabowo thanked Putin for his support over Indonesia’s entry to BRICS and said that ties between the two countries were improving.
Russia and Indonesia’s foreign ministers, Sergei Lavrov and Sugiono, speaking in Moscow earlier this week, mentioned a possible strategic partnership between the two countries.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/world/russia-indonesia-putin-meets-prabowo-ties-5192216
