Russian President Vladimir Putin is hosting leaders from across Southeast Asia in the central city of Kazan from Wednesday, as Moscow faces sustained Western pressure to end its full‑scale offensive in Ukraine. The summit marks a significant diplomatic push by the Kremlin to strengthen political and economic ties with Asia at a time when Russia remains heavily sanctioned by the West.
The gathering commemorates 35 years of cooperation between Russia and ASEAN, with representatives from all 11 member states arriving in Kazan the capital of Tatarstan, located about 700 kilometres east of Moscow. The main day of the summit will take place on Thursday.
Several countries, including Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia and Singapore, have sent their prime ministers, while the Philippines is represented by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Myanmar, which maintains close ties with Moscow following its 2021 military coup, has also dispatched a delegation.
The Kremlin says leaders will “exchange views on global and regional problems” and outline new goals for cooperation in security, trade, investment and humanitarian initiatives. With Russia’s economy reoriented toward Asia particularly its redirected oil exports the summit underscores Moscow’s strategic pivot away from Western markets.
Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is expected to raise concerns about ensuring stable oil supplies, according to the country’s national news agency. Many Asian economies have been hit hard by the global energy crisis, intensified by the ongoing US-Israel conflict with Iran.
The summit coincides with the G7 meeting in France, where Western leaders are focused on ending the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East a stark contrast to Russia’s efforts to deepen alliances in Asia.
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