Malaysia is a reliable partner for Russia, said Farit Mukhameshin, Deputy Chair of the Federation Council Committee on International Affairs and Deputy Chair of the Group of Strategic Vision (GSV) “Russia – Islamic World,” during his speech at a meeting of the Group held in Malaysia's capital, Kuala Lumpur. This year's meeting is titled “Russia and the Islamic World: Cooperation in the Era of Emerging Multipolarity.”
Mukhameshin noted that the world is undergoing a dynamic transformation that can no longer be ignored. Each country, in its own way, is trying to find its rightful place in this changing system of international relations, seeking reliable partners and new opportunities to unlock its potential.
He emphasized that Malaysia is a reliable partner for Russia. The country is one of the most important in the Islamic world, with a rapidly developing economy, and a global leader in the Islamic financial system. Following the Kazan BRICS Summit this year, Malaysia became a BRICS partner. It's also worth noting that the meeting coincided with the 20th anniversary of President Vladimir Putin’s statement in 2003 at the Malaysian summit, where he announced Russia’s intention to join the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) as an observer—a status Russia obtained in 2005. The current meeting of the GSV “Russia – Islamic World” was held with the support of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
Over 200 public figures, government officials, religious leaders, politicians, scientists, and experts from 32 countries of the Islamic world, as well as diplomats from the Russian and Malaysian Ministries of Foreign Affairs, and representatives from 27 OIC diplomatic missions accredited in Malaysia, participated in the meeting. In total, the Group includes representatives from 33 Islamic countries, with Russia, being 20% Islamic, contributing about 30 million ethnic Muslims, a third more than when Russia became an OIC observer.
The presentations and speeches at the Malaysian meeting aimed not only to continue discussing approaches to forming a fair multipolar world order and safe development, initiated at the Kazan meeting in May 2024, but also to explore future collaboration in political, trade, economic, cultural, humanitarian, and spiritual spheres. The goal was to draft recommendations for further enhancing the Group's systematic activities.
Summarizing the meeting, Mukhameshin noted:
“Everyone greatly appreciated the welcoming message from President Vladimir Putin, especially his emphasis on the importance of holding the meeting in Malaysia, where, 20 years ago, he first announced Russia's intention to join the OIC as an observer, a status achieved in 2005. President Putin highlighted the significance of strengthening friendly relations between Russia and Muslim countries, considering our shared perspectives on pressing regional and global issues, and expressed confidence that 'together, we stand for building a just democratic world order based on true equality under international law, free from all forms of discrimination, dictation, and sanctioning pressure.'”
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s conceptual speech sparked great interest, particularly his emphasis on the importance of geopolitical partnerships that respect state sovereignty, support justice, and foster progress for all countries. According to Ibrahim, such a world order is much closer to Islam, which is rooted in principles of justice, sincerity, and compassion. “We live in a rapidly changing world—a world undergoing radical transformation right before our eyes. Indeed, it can be called a post-normal world. In these new conditions, as the Prime Minister rightly pointed out, we all need to have a quick response to the current threats and challenges, protecting our God-given sovereign rights to life and progress. Security cannot exist solely for a few 'chosen' nations; the space for security is indivisible,” he said.
Mukhameshin also praised the productive idea of using Malaysia’s experience based on principles of sustainable development, respect, care, prosperity, and trust. “The future belongs to those who can incorporate each other's proposals into a common system, harmonizing positions and ensuring the integration of various projects and shared aspirations,” he added.
Tatarstan's Rais and Chairman of the Group, Rustam Minnikhanov, pointed out that “the modern world is marked by turbulent and contradictory trends, with varying approaches between the collective West and the non-Western world. Amid the crisis of the Western model of globalization and a new phase in the reshaping of the world order, many countries face legitimate questions: What will the future look like? What role will Russia and Islamic countries play? How can they work together to create a prosperous and secure world based on trust, friendship, and mutually beneficial cooperation?” Minnikhanov's report also highlighted key conclusions and recommendations from BRICS leaders during the 2024 Kazan BRICS Summit, which took place from October 22-24.
Secretary General of the OIC, Hissein Brahim Taha, highly praised the role of the GSV “Russia – Islamic World” in strengthening ties and expanding cooperation between Russia and the Islamic world. He also reiterated the OIC’s interest in deepening its interaction with the Group.
Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Andrei Rudenko, reminded the audience that Russia has always been a traditional friend of Muslim countries in Asia and Africa. The USSR played a key role in dismantling the global colonial system and was the first to recognize new states after their independence. Currently, the share of Muslim countries within BRICS has significantly increased, along with the growing role and influence of the Islamic world.
Dr. Osman Bakar, the Rector of the International Islamic University Malaysia and a partner of the GSV “Russia – Islamic World” in Malaysia, noted that Russia is particularly interested in Islamic financial markets. He added that Russia is also ready to open its rapidly growing markets to Islamic investments. Moreover, the unilateral sanctions imposed by the West force Russia to seek alternatives for organizing financial operations independent of the West.
The meeting also featured reports from members of the Group from Bahrain, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, the UAE, Palestine, Turkey, Russia, and other countries. Their speeches reflected the most pressing issues in modern global politics.
A significant portion of the discussions focused on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. The participants called for an immediate halt to the aggression and for necessary steps to implement the UN’s two-state solution, establishing an independent, sovereign Palestinian state. Most speakers condemned Israel’s aggressive actions against the Palestinian people.
The members of the Group noted that revolutionary changes are happening on the international stage, and the complex process of shaping a new, fairer world order, addressing the interests of the majority of humanity, continues. The collective West is reluctant to accept these developments, as they threaten its global hegemony and the collapse of its neo-colonial policies. In this context, Islamic countries and Russia are reliable partners for each other. Together, we stand for finding appropriate responses to the hegemonic ambitions aggressively imposed by the ultra-liberal forces of the collective West, while upholding our spiritual values and ideological principles, which are unacceptable to our societies.
Thus, the forum’s participants were able to comprehensively analyze and assess the socio-political and religious situations in the modern world, offering projects and ideas aimed at further developing interfaith and intercultural cooperation, considering both national and global realities. Special emphasis was placed on the fact that Russia’s relationship with the Islamic world is not only based on mutual interests in various spheres and shared approaches to contemporary global politics, but also on intersecting spiritual and moral values that define their identity and their relationship to themselves, others, society, and the world around them.
Based on the ideas of the Kazan Declaration, we all advocate for a more just and democratic world order. We are committed to more humanistic models of democracy where there is no place for one-sided gain, dictation, pressure, dishonest manipulation, or the suppression of the national interests of some countries by others, as is seen in the West-centric model imposed on us. Instead, we advocate for respect, agreement, and multilateral formats of interaction that consider the interests of all parties involved.
Modern defenders of a unipolar world, in their disregard for culture, betray the humanistic ideals of Western civilization, in which religion has always been a fundamental cultural base. Leaders of Muslim and Christian communities, speaking at the Group meeting, highlighted the importance of traditional spiritual and moral values as an inseparable part of cultural and historical heritage. In our country, Islam, like Christianity, is a traditional religion protected by law. Furthermore, the state is paying great attention to Islamic education and upbringing, the revival of traditional Islamic theological schools, and the support of official Muslim organizations and institutions. This opens up great prospects for fruitful cooperation in this area, concluded Farit Mukhameshin.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Federation Council