Russia Great Friend, Says Indonesia’s President-Elect Prabowo Subianto

Indonesia’s President-elect Prabowo Subianto has committed to maintaining and enhancing ties with Russia, a country he described as a “great friend.” After meeting President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Wednesday, Prabowo expressed hopes for stronger cooperation in defence, energy, and education.

Prabowo’s Vision for Indonesia-Russia Relations

Prabowo, who is currently the defence minister, is set to assume the presidency from Joko Widodo in October. During his visit to Moscow, Prabowo highlighted Russia’s historical support for Indonesia. “We consider Russia as a great friend,” he said in a statement from the defence ministry. He noted that Russia has been a valuable partner during difficult times and expressed his intent to continue and enhance this relationship.

Key Areas of Cooperation

Prabowo emphasised his interest in continuing partnerships in defence and nuclear energy. He also expressed a desire to send Indonesian students to Russia to study medicine, indicating a commitment to educational cooperation. This visit follows a recent trip to Beijing, where Prabowo met with President Xi Jinping to reaffirm Indonesia’s “policy of friendship” with China.

Non-Alignment Foreign Policy

Prabowo has made it clear that his administration will pursue a non-alignment foreign policy, forging ties with any country, including China and the United States. This approach is aimed at maintaining balanced and independent international relations.

Russia’s Commitment to Indonesia

President Putin, quoted by Russian state news agency TASS, stated that Russia is ready to “scale up supplies of agricultural products and implement investment projects in energy, transport, and infrastructure.” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov highlighted Indonesia’s growing role in the Ukraine conflict, which Russia refers to as a special operation.

Prabowo’s Peace Proposal for Ukraine

Last year, Prabowo proposed a peaceful settlement for the conflict in Ukraine. His plan, presented at the Shangri-La Dialogue security summit in Singapore, included a ceasefire and the establishment of a demilitarised zone. This proposal underscores Indonesia’s commitment to promoting peace and stability on the global stage.

With Inputs from Reuters