Indonesian Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto expressed respect for Russia and described the Russian people as friends during a conversation with journalists. He made these remarks while visiting the press center in Jakarta in connection with the ongoing events related to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
"We consider the Russian people as friends of Indonesia," he emphasized. The minister underlined that Indonesia's foreign policy is founded on a non-aligned stance, avoiding alignment with any blocs, and maintaining respect for all nations.
"We hold respect for the United States, China, Russia, India, Japan, and indeed, for all nations," he added, highlighting the positive relations between Indonesia and the Russian Federation. The minister expressed his commitment to further strengthening bilateral relations in this same spirit.
In late August, Prabowo Subianto announced his plans to visit Russia later this year. He is considered one of the front-runners in Indonesia's forthcoming presidential election in 2024. The current defense minister of Indonesia has previously contested the presidential elections twice, in 2014 and 2019, but was defeated on both occasions by the incumbent President Joko Widodo.
GSV "Russia - Islamic world"
Photo: Federation Council
Based on materials from TASS