Prabowo, Indonesia's President-elect, Seeks Stronger Ties with Russia

Indonesia's President-elect Prabowo is committed to enhancing relations with Russia, referring to the nation as a "great friend." He aims to deepen diplomatic and economic cooperation between Indonesia and Russia, focusing on mutual benefits in areas such as defense, trade, and technology. Prabowo's vision includes a stronger partnership that leverages shared interests and strengthens bilateral ties for the future.

Indonesia's President-elect Prabowo Subianto announced that his forthcoming administration would sustain relations with "great friend" Russia after meeting President Vladimir Putin, and expressed hope for increased cooperation in defense, energy, and education.

Prabowo, who currently serves as the defense minister, is scheduled to assume the presidency from Joko Widodo in October. During his current visit to Moscow, he met with Putin on Wednesday.

In a statement from the defense ministry, Prabowo remarked, "We consider Russia a great friend." "I intend to continue to maintain and strengthen this relationship. Historically, we remember Russia has always assisted us in various aspects during our challenging times."

Prabowo also conveyed his desire to sustain a partnership in defense and nuclear energy and to send Indonesian students to Russia for medical studies. The Moscow visit follows a recent trip to Beijing, where Prabowo met President Xi Jinping to reinforce Indonesia's "policy of friendship" with China.

Prabowo has stated that he will establish ties with any nation, including China or the United States, under his non-alignment foreign policy.Russian state news agency TASS quoted Putin as saying that Russia is prepared to "increase supplies of agricultural products and implement investment projects in energy, transport, and infrastructure."

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, also quoted by TASS, mentioned that Indonesia's role in the Ukraine conflict, which Putin refers to as a special operation, is "growing significantly nowadays." Last year, Prabowo proposed a peaceful resolution for the war, including a ceasefire and a demilitarized zone, during his address at the Shangri-La Dialogue security summit in Singapore.

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Source: Reuters‍