Joint Press Statement by President of the Republic of Indonesia and President of the Russian Federation on the Official Visit of the President of the Republic of Indonesia to St. Petersburg at Konstantinovsky Palace, St. Petersburg, Russia, Thursday, 19 June 2025
President of the Russian Federation (Vladimir Putin)
(As translated)
Your Excellency Mr. President;
Colleagues and Friends,
We are pleased to welcome Your Excellency President Prabowo Subianto to the Russian Federation. Your official visit coincides with the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. I am deeply grateful that you have accepted my invitation and delivered remarks at the SPIEF plenary session this year, which was themed “Shared Values as the Foundation for Building a Multipolar World Order.”
President Prabowo Subianto had visited the Russian Federation several times in his capacity as Minister of Defense. In July last year, I met Your Excellency, as the President-elect of the Republic of Indonesia.
I wish to underscore that Indonesia is a key partner of the Russian Federation in the Asia-Pacific region. Bilateral relations between our two countries have developed on the basis of trust and friendship principles. This year, we commemorate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. Our country has facilitated Indonesia’s nation-building process and supported the strengthening of the young Republic of Indonesia’s position on the international stage. Today, during our discussions with President Prabowo Subianto, this issue was raised. Projects that were built during that period remain operational in the Republic of Indonesia and continue to benefit the Indonesian people. Today, Russia also strives to develop relations between our two countries consistently.
The Russian Federation fully supports Indonesia’s membership in BRICS. Since January 1, Indonesia has become a full member. As a respected and influential country in the international arena, I am confident that Indonesia will enhance BRICS’ potential and make a significant contribution to its activities and cooperation mechanisms.
Today, we held constructive negotiations. We discussed various bilateral and international issues. In the joint declaration we adopted today, we reaffirmed our serious and responsible objectives across sectors, particularly in trade sector. In addition, we signed a number of cooperation documents and agreements.
I wish to emphasize that Indonesia is one of Russia’s major trading partners in Southeast Asia. Last year, the volume of trade between our two countries reached US$4.3 billion. In the first four months of this year, trade volume increased by 40 percent. We have also expanded the supply of Russian wheat to Indonesia and increased imports of Indonesian agricultural products to the Russian Federation.
In April, we signed a memorandum of understanding in halal infrastructure, which opens new opportunities for the export of livestock products to Indonesia. Also in April, we convened a session of the Russia-Indonesia Joint Commission on Economic, Trade, and Technical Cooperation, as well as a business forum. I believe that new cooperation opportunities will arise following the signing of a free trade agreement between Indonesia and the Eurasian Economic Union. I hope that this agreement will be signed in the near future.
Russian enterprises are operating effectively in the Indonesian market. We are prepared to increase the supply of oil and liquefied natural gas to the Indonesian market. Rosneft and Pertamina are having a joint project to construct an oil refinery and petrochemical complex in East Java Province. We are also ready to participate in new projects on Indonesia’s offshore platforms and to modernize infrastructure in order to enhance oil production from mature fields.
We are open to cooperation with Indonesian partners in nuclear energy. We are also eager to realize peaceful nuclear projects, including in healthcare, agriculture, and personnel training aspects. We are interested in expanding cooperation in advanced technologies, including the peaceful use of outer space, smart city, and artificial intelligence.
We are collaborating in cultural sector. For more than six years, the Russian Center for Science and Culture in Jakarta has organized and hosted Russian concerts, exhibitions, and artistic performances. Russian language education and training centers have been established in Indonesia’s capital Jakarta, as well as on the island of Bali.
We are also cooperating in the area of human resource development, with more than 500 Indonesians currently studying in Russia. In recent years, we have worked to facilitate mutual tourism. We have resumed direct flights from Moscow to Bali. In January, the Russian Consulate General in Bali was opened.
Indeed, today we also discussed the most updated issues on the global agenda. We note that the positions of Russia and Indonesia on most global and regional issues are very similar or nearly identical. Both countries uphold the principle of sovereignty in the international arena and are united in the pursuit of peaceful development in the Asia-Pacific region. We coordinate closely within the United Nations and other platforms.
In conclusion, I would once again like to highly appreciate today’s cooperation with Your Excellency, Mr. President. I am confident that this visit will facilitate strategic cooperation between our two countries and will benefit the prosperity of our nations.
Thank you for your attention
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Prabowo Subianto)
His Excellency President Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation;Ministers and senior officials of both countries;
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I wish to convey my deepest gratitude for the gracious invitation and for the warm hospitality extended to me and my delegation. It is a great honor and pleasure for me to visit this historic city, renowned for its profound heroism in the history of both Russia and the former Soviet Union.
This marks my first state visit as President of the Republic of Indonesia and I am deeply grateful for the warm welcome I have received. I would also like to express my sincere appreciation to President Putin for the honor and cordial reception extended to me during my visit in July 2024, even before my official inauguration.
Russia and Indonesia share a long-standing and historic relationship. This year, we proudly commemorate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of our diplomatic relations. Throughout the decades, the Russian Federation has remained a valued and strategic partner for Indonesia across various domains, including political cooperation, economic engagement, and socio-cultural exchange.
In the early years following Indonesia’s independence, when our nation was still in the process of development, the Soviet Union—with Russia at is core—extended meaningful and substantial assistance to us. The Indonesian people continue to hold this support in high regard and remembrance.
Across our capital and many major cities, enduring symbols of this partnership remain visible in the form of buildings, bridges, railways, and factories—many of which were constructed with the help of Russian expertise and cooperation.
During the early stages of Indonesia’s development, the Russian Federation extended invaluable assistance without insisting on immediate debt repayment. Over time, and after several decades, Indonesia was able to fully honor its financial obligations from that period.”
Today’s meeting marks a significant milestone in elevating our bilateral relations to a new height. My discussions with President Putin today were both very intensive and productive. We have observed notable progress across various sectors, including the economy, technical cooperation, trade, investment, and agriculture.
For instance, during our meeting in July 2024, President Putin conveyed his interest in establishing direct air connectivity between Russia and Indonesia. At present, the largest Russian airline operates three weekly flights from Moscow to Bali, with frequency increasing to four flights per week during the winter season. We warmly welcome further opportunities to expand air routes, not only to Bali but also to other major cities across Indonesia, and we remain open to the initiation of additional direct flights from various regions of the Russian Federation.
We have also concluded several new agreements, with a particular emphasis on expanding opportunities for Indonesian youth to pursue higher education in Russia through scholarships provided by the Government of Indonesia.
I extend my sincere appreciation to President Putin and the Government of the Russian Federation for their support of Indonesia’s full membership in BRICS. I also warmly welcome the agreement reached between Indonesia and Russia under the framework of the Eurasian Economic Union.
On the international stage, as President Putin has aptly noted, Indonesia and Russia share many common perspectives. We uphold the sovereignty of all nations, are committed to the peaceful resolution of disputes, and consistently prioritize cooperation over confrontation.
I sincerely hope that this visit will serve as a catalyst for substantial progress in strengthening the ties between our two countries.
In closing, I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude for the gracious invitation to attend the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum tomorrow, alongside His Excellency President Putin.
Once again, thank you.
(EST/EP)