Putin and leaders of Southeast Asia agree to bolster ties at a summit in Russia

Source: AP

Updated 6:37 AM CDT, June 18, 2026

MOSCOW (AP) — President Vladimir Putin on Thursday hailed Russia’s ties with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations as he hosted a summit intended to strengthen economic and political ties with the bloc.

The leaders who took part in the meeting in Kazan agreed to further expand “strategic partnership” between Russia and ASEAN nations that include Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, East Timor and Vietnam.

“It is a strategic partnership that serves as an essential stabilizing factor in the Asia-Pacific amidst geopolitical turbulence, contributing to the formation of a balanced security architecture and equitable mutually beneficial cooperation,” Putin said at the summit, which marked the 35th anniversary of Russia-ASEAN relations.

The summit’s agenda included exchanging views on global and regional issues, reviewing efforts to develop Russia-ASEAN ties and discussing areas and tasks for future cooperation.



Read more: https://apnews.com/article/russia-putin-asean-summit-kazan-591ec0a864ccbae794a619369b8477a3