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Putin hails 12% trade jump as Indonesian president makes second Russia trip of 2026

By isabelle // 2026-09-03

• Putin welcomed Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto to the 2026 Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok.
• Bilateral trade grew over 12 percent last year, and cooperation now spans energy, shipbuilding, and nuclear power.
• Subianto stressed expanding maritime connectivity between the two Pacific nations.
• The visit targets deeper investment and energy deals amid Western sanctions.
• Russia is actively courting Asian partners as the West struggles to isolate Moscow.

Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto to the 2026 Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok on Thursday, marking the sixth high-level meeting between the two leaders overall and Subianto's second visit to Russia this year. The encounter comes as Moscow seeks to deepen economic ties with Asian partners amid ongoing tensions with Western nations. Putin and Subianto met on the sidelines of the forum, where Putin described Indonesia as "one of Russia's key partners in Southeast Asia" and noted that bilateral trade increased by more than 12% last year. The Russian leader thanked his Indonesian counterpart for agreeing to serve as the forum's guest of honor, calling the two nations "bound by ties of friendship for many years." He pointed to a bilateral commission overseeing trade, economic and technical cooperation, and said the relationship now spans agriculture, shipbuilding, information technology and energy, including nuclear power. Subianto, for his part, stressed the importance of expanding maritime cooperation between the two Pacific nations. "We are both part of the Pacific region, and cooperation in the maritime sector and in improving connectivity is very important to us," he said, adding that Indonesia's participation in the forum "provides a great opportunity to strengthen cooperation in our region." The Thursday meeting followed a busier year of contact between the two countries: In June, Indonesia's energy minister said the country was prepared to boost its imports of Russian oil, and in August, Putin publicly said relations between the two nations were thriving.

Prabowo's delegation targets investment and energy deals

Prabowo arrived in Vladivostok on Wednesday for a three-day visit, his fourth trip to Russia since taking office less than two years ago. He is accompanied by a delegation of senior officials, including Coordinating Economy Minister Airlangga Hartarto, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia, Investment and Downstreaming Minister Rosan Roeslani and Foreign Minister Sugiono. Indonesia's Presidential Secretariat said Prabowo's role as the forum's main guest of honor "reflects the close ties between the two countries." He is scheduled to deliver a speech Thursday as the event's chief guest, with the visit expected to focus on deepening bilateral trade, investment and energy cooperation.

Forum draws Asian leaders as Russia courts the East

The 11th Eastern Economic Forum, running Sept. 1-4 on the campus of the Far Eastern Federal University, is built around the theme "The Far East: Development for the Benefit of People." Organized by the Roscongress Foundation with backing from the Russian government, the conference has drawn delegates from dozens of countries to discuss investment, technology, logistics and infrastructure as Russia works to position its easternmost territory as a gateway to Asia. Alongside Subianto, top attendees included Mongolian Prime Minister Nyam-Osoryn Uchral, Myanmar Vice President Nyo Saw and Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang. Putin held separate bilateral meetings with the Mongolian and Chinese officials before Wednesday's plenary session, where presidential aide Yury Ushakov said the Russian leader would deliver a keynote touching on a range of topics. Putin and Subianto's own sit-down came a day later, in the form of a working breakfast.

A relationship built on repeat visits, not one-off diplomacy

Thursday's meeting was the sixth official contact between Putin and Subianto, according to Ushakov, underscoring a relationship built on sustained, in-person diplomacy rather than occasional outreach. The two countries maintain regular political dialogue at the highest levels and between their foreign ministries and continue to expand parliamentary and interparty exchanges. For Jakarta, the steady stream of visits reflects a deliberate hedge: Indonesia has kept its distance from Western-led efforts to isolate Moscow over the war in Ukraine, opting instead to expand trade in energy, agriculture and nuclear technology with a country much of the West has spent years trying to shut out. Whatever the outcome of that broader conflict, Jakarta's calculus suggests Western sanctions have done little to convince the world's fourth-most-populous nation to pick a side. Sources for this article include: SputnikGlobe.com TheJakartaPost.com Tass.com

Russia national security politics sanctions foreign relations Vladimir Putin big government trade risk money supply Indonesia bubble progress supply chain dollar demise economic riot Prabowo Subianto