ASEAN Nations Prepare for High-Level Dialogue with Putin Amidst Ukraine War Concerns

Kathmandu. Southeast Asian nations, which have been cautious about their relationship with Russia after the Ukraine war, are now preparing for direct high-level dialogue with President Vladimir Putin. Regional leaders will participate in the ASEAN-Russia Summit to be held in Kazan, Russia on June 17-18.

Philippine Foreign Minister Theresa Lazaro informed via social media X that she had a telephone conversation with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. She stated that the ASEAN-Russia Summit in Kazan was the focus of the discussion.

According to the Russian Embassy in Manila, Lazaro and Lavrov also discussed the possibility of expanding Russia's 'strategic partnership' with ASEAN.

ASEAN includes Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and East Timor, in addition to the Philippines. After Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, most member states supported the resolution against Moscow in the UN General Assembly. Despite this, ASEAN has maintained Russia as a 'dialogue partner'.

The perspective towards Russia and the West within ASEAN is not uniform. Some members, like the Philippines, are considered close to the United States, while other nations have deep trade and security ties with China and Russia. Vietnam and Laos maintained neutrality by not voting on the UN resolution concerning Ukraine.

Energy security has also given a new dimension to Russia-ASEAN relations. Some member states, including the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam, have shown interest in purchasing or importing Russian crude oil after the global fuel price increase.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is expected to attend the summit. An government official, who does not have the authority to speak publicly on the matter, provided this information to the Associated Press. The participation of Singapore's leader, however, is not yet confirmed. Singapore had criticized Russia and imposed sanctions after the Ukraine war.

Although Myanmar is currently responsible for coordinating ASEAN-Russia relations, there is a possibility that its military leadership may not be allowed to participate in the summit. ASEAN has banned Myanmar's top leaders from high-level regional meetings since the civil war escalated following the military 'coup' in 2021. However, lower-level diplomats are allowed to participate.

ASEAN had put forward a five-point peace plan to resolve the Myanmar crisis in 2021. However, regional dissatisfaction remains due to the inability of Myanmar's military government to control violence and advance political dialogue.