President Vladimir Putin hosts a summit of Southeast Asian leaders in the central Russian city of Kazan from Wednesday, as the West pressures Moscow to end its Ukraine offensive.
Putin has sought to deepen political and economic ties with Asia during Moscow’s more than four-year full-scale offensive against Ukraine.
The summit in the capital of Tatarstan, around 700 kilometers (435 miles) east of Moscow, comes as the G7 meets in France with ending the Ukraine and Middle East wars its main focus.
Representatives of 11 countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations will arrive in Kazan on Wednesday, with the main day of the summit set for the following day.
Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia and Singapore are sending their prime ministers, while the Philippines will be represented by President Ferdinand Marcos.
It commemorates 35 years of collaboration between Russia and the ASEAN countries, the Kremlin said.
Moscow said the leaders will “exchange views on global and regional problems” and new aims in Russia-ASEAN ties in “security, trade, investment and humanitarian cooperation.”
Facing giant Western sanctions over its Ukraine offensive, Moscow has reoriented its economy — especially oil exports — towards Asia.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim intends to discuss “ensuring that oil supplies can continue to be channeled” to Malaysia, the country’s national news agency reported.
Asian countries have been particularly hard hit by the energy crisis triggered by the US-Israel war with Iran.
At the G7 in France, US President Donald Trump said Moscow should “make a deal” to end the Ukraine war, as he met Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky.
Trump also said Washington will soon be able to reimpose sanctions against Russian oil.
Russia’s economy — on a war footing for four years — is struggling due to high inflation, a labor shortage and high borrowing costs.
On the Ukrainian battlefield, the advance of forces has slowed this year. Kyiv has multiplied attacks on Russian soil, including Tatarstan, where the summit will be held. AFP
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