Putin Hosts ASEAN Leaders in Kazan, Calls for Expanded Russia–Asia Strategic Partnership

KAZAN: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday hosted leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as Moscow seeks to deepen economic, political, and strategic ties with the regional bloc amid shifting global alliances.

The two-day summit, held in the Russian city of Kazan on the Volga River, marks the 35th anniversary of Russia–ASEAN relations. According to Kremlin foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov, the discussions are focused on expanding what Moscow describes as a “strategic partnership” with ASEAN member states, including Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, East Timor, and Vietnam.

The bloc has maintained its engagement with Russia as a “dialogue partner” and continues to participate in annual high-level meetings, Ushakov said. The Kazan summit is expected to review cooperation on trade, investment, industrial development, and broader geopolitical issues.

In a message to a business forum held alongside the summit, Putin said the gathering would “create new opportunities for expanding mutually beneficial trade, investment, and industrial cooperation, while also strengthening direct dialogue between our business communities.”

Ushakov added that participants are also expected to reaffirm their support for what Moscow describes as a “just and democratic multipolar world order based on the principles of international law and the United Nations Charter.”

Speaking at a formal reception for ASEAN delegations, Putin emphasized shared principles of sovereignty and non-interference, saying that all participating countries follow their “own models of development” without imposing views on others. He said Russia remained ready to continue cooperation with ASEAN to promote security, prosperity, and stability across Eurasia.

The Russian president held bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the summit with several leaders, including Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who is co-chairing the event as ASEAN’s rotating chair, as well as Brunei’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

Marcos thanked Putin for hosting the summit and invited him to attend the ASEAN leaders’ meeting in Manila in November. Putin, in turn, highlighted what he described as “mutually beneficial cooperation” with the Philippines based on respect and long-standing ties.

Putin also met Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, with both sides discussing bilateral and regional issues. The Russian president described relations with Turkey as “developing steadily,” while Fidan noted multiple areas of mutual interest.

ASEAN member states hold diverse geopolitical alignments, with some maintaining close ties to the United States and others engaging more deeply with China and Russia. Several countries in the bloc, including the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam, have reportedly imported Russian crude oil or expressed interest in doing so following global energy disruptions linked to the Iran conflict.