Russia’s Putin, Indonesia’s Prabowo Deepen Strategic Ties Amid Western Isolation Efforts

Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto in St. Petersburg on Thursday, as Moscow continues to expand partnerships across the Global South.

The leaders signed a declaration formalizing a strategic partnership between the two nations, signaling a deepening of bilateral relations across sectors ranging from trade and energy to defense and agriculture.

Prabowo described the meeting at the Konstantin Palace as “intense, warm and productive,” noting significant progress in economic and technical cooperation.

“The relationship between our countries is getting stronger again,” he said after the talks.

In addition to the strategic partnership agreement, Indonesia’s sovereign wealth fund, Danatara, and the Russian Direct Investment Fund agreed to launch a joint investment vehicle worth €2 billion ($2.29 billion), with both institutions’ CEOs present for the signing.

Putin praised Indonesia’s growing role on the global stage, acknowledging the country’s full membership in the BRICS alliance (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa). He emphasized the importance of the bilateral relationship and noted rising trade volumes and new prospects in several key areas.

“Our relations with Indonesia are developing steadily,” Putin said, according to Russia’s TASS news agency. “We have good prospects in agriculture, energy, space, and military-technical cooperation. Our interaction is very active and expanding.”

Indonesia, Southeast Asia’s largest economy, has been navigating a complex geopolitical landscape. It maintains a neutral foreign policy stance amid rising tensions between global powers, and is seeking to diversify its partnerships beyond traditional Western allies.

The Prabowo administration has shown interest in developing nuclear power to support Indonesia’s energy transition goals. The country currently relies heavily on coal but has significant untapped potential in renewables such as hydro, solar, and geothermal.

Prabowo’s decision to skip the G7 summit in Canada this week in favor of meeting with Putin has fueled speculation that Jakarta may be pivoting closer to Moscow. The two countries have already held their first joint naval exercises and continue to strengthen defense and economic ties.

Both leaders are expected to participate in the plenary session of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on Friday, where Russia is expected to continue courting new investment and alliances as part of its pivot toward Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

With input from Al Jazeera and news agencies