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ABC News
7 hours ago
- Business
- ABC News
Prabowo snubbed the G7 to meet Putin. Is Indonesia moving away from the West?
The decision by Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto to skip the G7 meeting in Canada and to visit Russia has raised eyebrows in Western capitals. The official reason provided was that his meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin was pre-planned. Prabowo, being a man of his word, had decided to skip the G7 meeting of wealthy liberal democracies in favour of attending the little-known St Petersburg International Economic Forum. Known as Russia's Davos, the forum is where Russia — facing crippling Western sanctions over its invasion of Ukraine — seeks to attract foreign investment and showcase the best of its business and technology. Prabowo was invited as the Kremlin's guest of honour. "It's possible that he wasn't fully aware of the optics," said Australian Strategic Policy Institute senior analyst Gatra Priyandita. "But at the same time, I can also sort of imagine him thinking this might incentivise the West to try harder." Prabowo's decision came after reports earlier this year that Moscow was lobbying Jakarta to house long-range bombers in Indonesia's Papua province, causing anxiety in Australian foreign policy and defence circles. During a meeting with Putin this week, the the pair inked a strategic partnership. Indonesia and Russia's respective sovereign wealth funds signed an agreement worth 2 billion euros ($3.5 billion). Putin was praised for supporting Indonesia's bid to become a full member of BRICS — the 16-member grouping of non-Western nations founded by Russia along with China, India, Brazil and South Africa. Prabowo revelled in the fact that his Foreign Minister Sugiono, who goes by one name, had visited Russia three times within just eight months. "Russia is clever in giving attention to Prabowo," said Radityo Dharmaputra, head of the Centre for European and Eurasian Studies at Airlangga University in Indonesia. "It's not about the forum, but his personal relations with Putin … his willingness to meet with this so called great man in the in the global arena." Prabowo's Culture Minister Fadli Zon has previously gone as far as declaring his boss Indonesia's Putin. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump's proposed tariffs of 32 per cent against Indonesian goods have burned goodwill in Jakarta. "Increasingly, there is some degree of disillusionment about the United States and the future of US power," Dr Priyandita said. Mr Dharmaputra said Russia was stepping up its engagement at a time when the US and some European countries had cut their funding for several programs in Indonesia. "Other countries are struggling to compete with Russia and China in that regard," he said. Still, Prabowo's Russia trip should hardly be interpreted as a full-scale rejection of Indonesia's partnerships in the West. Since its creation as a nation, Indonesia has practised "free and active" foreign policy — meaning it is non-aligned to either the West or the West's adversaries. Prabowo is no exception. That was shown by the warmth of Anthony Albanese's visit to Jakarta last month after the Australian prime minister won re-election. As was the visit of Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles to Jakarta earlier this month. French President Emmanuel Macron also visited Jakarta to great fanfare only a few weeks ago. Analysts say Jakarta's ties to the US and Australia on a range of fronts remain much stronger than those with Moscow. Russia had never been a reliable investment partner for Indonesia, said Mr Dharmaputra. For example, Russia withdrew as an investor from the Borneo railway project in 2022 — which had been billed as an "historic milestone" for a Russian-backed initiative in the country. While Indonesia may purchase some arms from Russia, economic ties are lacklustre. Last year, China was the third largest foreign investor in Indonesia and the US was the fourth. Prabowo's decision to dodge the G7 may in fact have been partly motivated by domestic political factors, Dr Priyandita said. Indonesia, like most of South-East Asia, is out of step with Western powers in relation to Israel, its war in Gaza and attacks on Iran. The G7 leaders' statement affirmed Israel's "right to defend itself" and declared Iran was the "principle source of regional instability and terror". Being seen to buy into that narrative in Indonesia — a Muslim-majority country that has never recognised Israel and where public support for the Palestinian cause is immense — could be politically disastrous. Prabowo only recently attracted criticism for comments he made during Macron's visit, indicating that Indonesia might establish diplomatic relations with Israel if Israel recognised a Palestinian state. So, the visit to St Petersburg may have been motivated more by Putin's flattery and avoiding headaches at home than a pointed snub of the West. Prabowo has declared his foreign policy philosophy is "one thousand friends and zero enemies". His visit to Russia is a timely reminder that Indonesia, the largest economy in South-East Asia, does indeed have many friends.
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Indonesia's Prabowo to hold talks with Putin to cement 'strategic partnership'
By Guy Faulconbridge ST PETERSBURG (Reuters) -Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto will hold talks with President Vladimir Putin in Russia this week to explore ways to deepen what their foreign ministers cast on Tuesday as a burgeoning strategic partnership. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, speaking at a meeting in Moscow with his Indonesian counterpart Sugiono, said Putin will meet Prabowo in St Petersburg on Thursday. Russia is due to hold its annual economic forum this week in the northern city, at which Putin traditionally gives a keynote speech and hosts a foreign leader. Russia and Indonesia, Lavrov said, should seek to deepen their defence, security, naval and trade ties. He said Russia's state nuclear corporation, Rosatom, stood ready to help Indonesia build an atomic power station, and the two countries could hold joint military exercises. "This is a show actually of how important and strategically Indonesia thinks of its relationship with Russia," Sugiono told reporters in English. Sugiono suggested that Putin and Prabowo had "chemistry" and suggested they develop and deepen their ties "into a strategic partnership." Trade between Russia and Indonesia totals nearly $4.5 billion a year, Lavrov said, adding that bilateral trade and investment should be boosted. Indonesia became a full member of the BRICS grouping earlier this year. Indonesia last year dismissed a report in defence publication Janes that Russia had asked to base military aircraft in Papua, its easternmost province, after the issue caused concern in Australia. Papua is about 1,200 km (750 miles) north of the Australian city of Darwin. (Writing by Guy FaulconbridgeEditing by Mark Trevelyan and Andrew Osborn)
Free Malaysia Today
3 days ago
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
Indonesia's Prabowo to hold talks with Putin, eyes ‘strategic partnership'
Indonesian foreign minister Sugiono and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov shook hands during a joint press conference in Moscow, Russia. (EPA Images pic) MOSCOW : Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto will hold talks with President Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg later this week and the two countries should explore a strategic partnership, the Asian nation's foreign minister said today. Russia is due to hold its annual economic forum in St Petersburg this week, where Putin traditionally gives a keynote speech and hosts a foreign leader. Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov, speaking at a meeting in Moscow with Indonesia's foreign minister, Sugiono, who uses only one name, said that relations between Moscow and Jakarta were trustworthy, friendly and constructive. 'We welcome our close ties,' Lavrov told Sugiono. 'There is chemistry between both of the leaders,' Sugiono said of ties between Putin and Prabowo, and suggested they develop and deepen their ties 'into a strategic partnership'. Indonesia and Russia, Sugiono said, would continue to work on developing trade, economic, security, investment, energy and tourism ties. Indonesia became a full member of the BRICS grouping earlier this year. Indonesia last year dismissed a report in defence publication Janes that Russia has requested basing military aircraft in Papua, its easternmost province, after the issue caused concern in Australia. Papua is about 1,200km north of the Australian city of Darwin.
Reuters
3 days ago
- Politics
- Reuters
Indonesia's Prabowo to hold talks with Putin this week, eyes 'strategic partnership'
MOSCOW, June 17 (Reuters) - Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto will hold talks with President Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg later this week and the two countries should explore a strategic partnership, the Asian nation's foreign minister said on Tuesday. Russia is due to hold its annual economic forum in St Petersburg this week where Putin traditionally gives a key-note speech and hosts a foreign leader. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, speaking at a meeting in Moscow with Indonesia's foreign minister, Sugiono, who uses only one name, said that relations between Moscow and Jakarta were trustworthy, friendly and constructive. "We welcome our close ties," Lavrov told Sugiono. "There is chemistry between both of the leaders," Sugiono said of ties between Putin and Prabowo, and suggested they develop and deepen their ties "into a strategic partnership." Indonesia and Russia, Sugiono said, would continue to work on developing trade, economic, security, investment, energy and tourism ties. Indonesia became a full member of the BRICS grouping earlier this year. Indonesia last year dismissed a report in defence publication Janes that Russia has requested basing military aircraft in Papua, its easternmost province, after the issue caused concern in Australia. Papua is about 1,200 km (750 miles) north of the Australian city of Darwin.
RNZ News
11-06-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
More deaths reported in West Papua clashes
File image: a Papuan man (right) in traditional clothing and face painted with the banned Morning Star flag stands next to a policeman during a demonstration demanding a referendum on independence in Yogyakarta on 1 December 2023. Photo: AFP / Devi Rahman Further reports of civilian casualties are coming out of West Papua, with clashes between Indonesia's military and the armed wing of the Free Papua Movement continuing. One of the most recent military operations took place in the early morning of 14 May in Sugapa District, Intan Jaya in Central Papua. Military spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Iwan Dwi Prihartono, in a video statement translated into English, said 18 members of the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) were killed. He claimed the military wanted to provide health services and education to residents in villages in Intan Jaya, but they were confronted by the TPNPB. Prihartono said the military confiscated an AK47, homemade weapons, ammunition, bows and arrows and the morning star flag - used as a symbol for West Papuan independence. But according to the TPNPB, only three of the group's soldiers were killed, with the rest being civilians. The United Liberation Movement for West Papua said civilians killed included a 75-year-old, two women and a child. Both the women were allegedly found on 23 May in shallow graves. A spokesperson from the Embassy of Indonesia in Wellington said all 18 people killed were part of the TPNPB, as confirmed by the military. "The local regent of Intan Jaya has checked for the victims at their home and hospitals; therefore, he can confirm that the 18 victims were in fact all members of the armed criminal group," they said. "The difference in numbers of victim sometimes happens because the armed criminal group tried to downplay their casualties or to try to create confusion." The spokesperson said the military operation was carried out because local authorities "followed up upon complaints and reports from local communities that were terrified and terrorized by the armed criminal group". Jakarta-based Human Rights Watch researcher Andreas Harsono said it was part of the wider Operation Habema, which started last year. "It is a military operation to 'eliminate' the Free Papua guerilla fighters, not only in Intan Jaya but in several agencies along the central highlands," Harsono said. He said the operation had been intensifying since the TPNPB killed 17 miners in April, which the armed group accused of being "military informers". RNZ Pacific has been sent photos of people who have been allegedly killed or injured in the 14 May assault, while others have been shared by ULMWP. Harsono said despite the photos and videos, it was hard to verify if civilians had been killed. He said Indonesia claimed civilian casualties - including of the women who were allegedly buried in shallow graves - were a result of the TPNPB. "The TPNPB says, 'of course, it is a lie why should we kill an indigenous woman?' Well, you know, it is difficult to verify which one is correct, because they're fighting the battle [in a very remote area]. "It's difficult to cross-check whatever information coming from there, including the fact that it is difficult to get big videos or big photos from the area with the metadata." Harsono said Indonesia was now using drones to fight the TPNPB. "This is something new; I think it will change the security situation, the battle situation in West Papua. "So far the TPNPB has not used drones; they are still struggling. In fact, most of them are still using bows and arrows in the conflict with the Indonesian military."
