Post #5554

💬Excerpt from the briefing by Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova (December 11, 2025) December 13 marks 2️⃣0️⃣years since the signing of the Joint Declaration of the Heads of State/Government of the Member Countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Head of State of the Russian Federation on Progressive and Comprehensive Partnership. Signed by our respective leaders in 2005 during the first Russia-ASEAN summit in Kuala Lumpur, this fundamental document created a new path in our ties with ASEAN by setting forth the basic principles and milestones for stepping up Russia-ASEAN relations. We will be marking their 35th anniversary in 2026. ✉️Sergey Lavrov sent a message of greetings to his colleagues in ASEAN on this occasion. On a special note, I would like to recognise Malaysia. It chairs the #ASEAN this year, just like in 2005. I would also like to praise the coordinators of the Russia-ASEAN dialogue from Singapore for their contribution to drafting and coordinating the Joint Declaration which served as a foundation for elevating our relations to the level of a strategic partnership at the 2018 summit in Singapore. Importantly, even today, amid all this geopolitical turbulence, the Association shares our vision and remains our reliable partner. We have been able not only to achieve and sustain positive momentum in our relations, but also to promote new mutually beneficial avenues for cooperation to fully unlock the potential of Russia-ASEAN collaboration.