Anutin to attend ASEAN-Russia summit in Kazan as Moscow seeks deeper regional ties
Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul is scheduled to travel to Russia for the ASEAN-Russia summit marking 35 years of relations.
Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul is scheduled to travel to Russia from June 16-19 to attend the ASEAN-Russia summit in Kazan, where leaders are expected to mark 35 years of relations between Russia and the Southeast Asian bloc.
Summit to mark 35 years of ASEAN-Russia relations
The summit is scheduled to take place in Kazan, Russia, on June 17-18. The Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs earlier said preparations had been discussed at the 22nd ASEAN-Russia Senior Officials’ Meeting, also held in Kazan, ahead of the commemorative summit marking the 35th anniversary of ASEAN-Russia relations.
The ASEAN Secretariat has also described the event as part of efforts to renew commitment to strengthening the ASEAN-Russia strategic partnership.
Putin invites ASEAN leaders
Russian President Vladimir Putin has invited leaders and senior representatives from ASEAN member states to attend the summit. The attendees are expected to include leaders or representatives from Brunei, Timor-Leste, Vietnam, Indonesia, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, along with a special representative of Myanmar’s president and the ASEAN secretary-general.
ASEAN leaders are due to meet Putin at the commemorative summit in Kazan on June 17-18, with discussions expected to focus on expanding Russia’s strategic partnership with ASEAN.
Regional and international issues on agenda
The meeting is expected to include an exchange of views on major international and regional issues, as well as discussions on future cooperation in politics, economics and humanitarian affairs.
ASEAN and Russia have been preparing to use the summit to set strategic directions for the partnership in the coming period. VietnamPlus reported that ASEAN countries had welcomed Russia’s proposal to host the commemorative summit in Kazan and agreed that the event could create new momentum for cooperation.
Thailand’s diplomatic balancing act
Anutin’s planned attendance comes as ASEAN continues to engage Russia as a dialogue partner despite geopolitical tensions surrounding Moscow. While many ASEAN members supported a 2022 UN resolution condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the bloc has continued diplomatic engagement with Russia through regular high-level meetings.
