Embassy of Russia in Singapore

🗓On April 21, Kazan hosted a meeting of senior officials of Russia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (#ASEAN) at the level of Deputy Foreign Ministers. The Russian delegation was led by Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko. The event was held under the banner of the 35th anniversary of Russia-ASEAN relations, which is being marked in 2026. The Sides held a detailed discussion on advancing the Russia-ASEAN strategic partnership in the political, economic and humanitarian spheres. Concrete steps were outlined for the further development and diversification of practical cooperation, with an emphasis on launching new joint mechanisms and projects. The Sides also reviewed progress in implementing the 2021-2025 Comprehensive Plan of Action #RussiaASEAN and preparations for a new medium-term programme document. The exchange of views on international and regional issues confirmed the commitment of Russia and ASEAN to strengthening the security architecture in Eurasia and the Asia-Pacific on the basis of openness, equality and respect for international law. The Sides also reaffirmed their readiness to expand cooperation in multilateral formats and to promote closer practical ties between #ASEAN, the #EAEU and the #SCO. #RussiaASEAN

🎙 Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's interview to the TV BRICS international media network (Moscow, February 9, 2026) Read in full Key talking points • The global arena is undergoing a transformation that began some time ago with the objective transition toward a multipolar world order. This is neither the bipolarity of the Soviet-American era with the Warsaw Pact and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, nor the unipolarity that emerged after the Soviet Union’s collapse. <...> Multiple centres of rapid economic growth, power, and financial and political influence have thus emerged. • It is equally important that we develop action plans tailored for each partner country covering trade and economic cooperation, investment, scientific collaboration, and coordinated activity on the international stage, including at the United Nations and other organisations, based on agreements reached between presidents and prime ministers. Particular attention is devoted to #CIS, #EAEU, #CSTO, and the post-Soviet space at large. This day-to-day work relies on long-term planning and delivers tangible mutual benefits to both Russia and its partners. • Multiple centres of rapid economic growth, power, and financial and political influence have thus emerged. The world is being reshaped through competition. The West is reluctant to relinquish its formerly dominant positions. • Safeguarding security demands sustained action to ensure that the Nazi state established on our borders in Ukraine – and supported by the West as a vehicle for renewed confrontation – cannot continue to exist in its present form. Nazi foundations must be eliminated. We will ensure, and I have no doubt about it, our own security interests, by preventing the deployment on Ukrainian territory of any weapons threatening us, and, second, by guaranteeing reliable and full protection for the rights of Russian and Russian-speaking people, who have been living in Crimea, Donbass and Novorossiya for centuries, and whom the Kiev regime that came to power after a coup declared subhuman “species” and “terrorists” and unleashed a civil war against. • Russia chaired#BRICS in 2024. At that time, a summit was held in Kazan, and a number of our initiatives were put into action: alternative payment platforms, payment mechanisms in national currencies, the creation of reinsurance opportunities for trade within BRICS and between the association and its partners, the creation of a grain exchange, and a new investment platform. All this is not to spite anyone, especially the United States. This is due to the fact that the United States seeks to bring all processes in the areas I mentioned under its strict control and demands unilateral concessions. Without giving up contacts with them, to the extent that they are willing to engage on a mutually beneficial basis, we are interested, together with our BRICS partners, in creating an architecture that will not be subject to the illegal actions of one or another player from the Western flank. • The Greater Eurasian Partnership was bound to appear on the agenda. Many years ago, at the 2015 Russia – #ASEAN Summit, Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested this term which is based on an objective trend of Eurasia becoming the biggest, richest and fastest-growing continent, especially its Pacific part. It is the most heavily-populated continent which, importantly, has seen several great civilisations emerge and continue to exist – the Chinese, Indian, Arab, Persian and Russian civilisations. ☝️ It is for a reason that our initiative on building a common Eurasian security architecture, set forward by President Putin in 2024, is gaining momentum. It is increasingly attracting interest.

EAEU–Indonesia: On the Path to the Free Trade Agreement 🤝 Negotiations took place between Member of the Board (Minister) of Trade of the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) Andrey Slepnev and Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto. 💬❗ “In absolute terms, tariff reductions will affect approximately $3 billion worth of trade between the #EAEU and Indonesia. We expect trade turnover between our countries to double within the next 3–5 years after the agreement enters into force. We anticipate significant growth in exports to Indonesia, including both agricultural and industrial goods,” emphasized the EEC Minister of Trade. ☝️The EAEU will receive preferential access to the Indonesian market for products such as polymers, fertilizers, energy resources, mining dump trucks, pipes, metals and non-ferrous metal products, as well as a wide range of electrical and mechanical equipment. Supplies are also expected to include wheat, flour, powdered milk, confectionery and more.

🌏 On July 10-11 in Kuala Lumpur, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will attend the annual ministerial events of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (#ASEAN), including Foreign Ministers’ meetings in the format of Russia-ASEAN, the East Asia Summit (#EAS), and the ASEAN Regional Forum (#ARF) on security. ASEAN is the centrepiece of a system of interstate associations involving leading global powers and cooperation processes in the Asia-Pacific Region (APR). In the context of growing geopolitical risks, the current imperative is to strengthen the ASEAN-based architecture of security and cooperation, in particular, by enhancing the practical activities of its main multilateral mechanisms, including the EAS and the ARF. ☝️ Russia-ASEAN relations are a vital stabilising factor in the region amid the growing conflict potential in the APR. Moscow views ASEAN as a key partner in the implementation of President Vladimir Putin’s initiative for creating a Eurasian security architecture. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the first #RussiaASEAN summit, which was also held in Kuala Lumpur. During the Russia-ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on July 10, the sides will discuss a broad range of political, trade, economic, social and cultural issues in the framework of the implementation of the five-year Comprehensive Plan of Action to Implement the ASEAN-Russia Strategic Partnership, which their leaders approved in 2021, as well as the preparation of a similar document for the next five years. <...> 📈 In 2024, Russia’s trade with ASEAN countries has increased by 5.8 percent and reached $23.2 billion. Their total investment in the Russian economy in January through September 2024 amounted to $2.3 billion, and Russia’s total investment in Southeast Asia was $12.4 billion. <...> The Association has been successfully developing links with both the #EAEU and the #SCO, building upon the memorandums of understanding between ASEAN and the EEC (2018) as well as the SCO Secretariat (2005). *** 👉 The East Asia Summit serves as a platform for strategic dialogue among Asia-Pacific leaders, including on issues such as strengthening regional security architecture. Priority areas of sectoral cooperation span the economy, energy, environmental protection, public healthcare, maritime cooperation, emergency response, food security, education and regional connectivity. <...> Russia has put forward a package of specific initiatives for the East Asia Summit. These proposals comprise creating a pan-regional collaboration mechanism for epidemic prevention, strengthening economic links through expanded tourism collaboration and remote regions development. For 2025, we have proposed that EAS leaders adopt a joint statement on enhancing social and cultural connectivity. *** 👉 We regard the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) as one of the crucial platforms for addressing topical regional challenges, developing measures to build confidence and advance preventive diplomacy, as well as fostering depoliticised security cooperation. Forum participants will approve several practical initiatives. Russia’s priorities include enhancing capabilities to prevent the use of information and communications technologies for criminal purposes. Read in full

🎙Following the EAEU summit, President of Russia Vladimir Putin answered questions from Russian journalists 📍 Minsk, June 27, 2025 #EAEU As for the outcomes of today’s EAEU summit, we are satisfied with the results and have drawn certain conclusions. The President of Belarus has already noted that our development strategy, which was designed to run until this year, is nearing completion. We are considering how to structure our joint efforts moving forward. However, overall, the results of our work cannot but satisfy us. They satisfy all of us. Why? Because the key aggregate indicator of economic performance is the growth rate. In the EAEU, it exceeds the global average. As is known, global growth stands at 3.3 percent. The EAEU’s growth is over 4 percent – significantly higher. In some countries, it is substantially greater, reaching 5 percent or even approaching 6 percent, in my view. This is, among other things, a direct result of our joint efforts, as the very purpose of our work is to eliminate trade and other economic barriers to cooperation. Without exaggeration, this multiplies the potential for economic growth. #Ukraine Regarding the memorandums [Russian and Ukrainian], as expected, there were no surprises. I will not tell you anything surprising, either. These are two absolutely opposing memorandums, but that is precisely why talks are set up and held – to find ways to bring positions closer. The fact that they were diametrically opposed does not seem surprising to me, either. I would not like to go into details, as I believe it would be counterproductive – even harmful – to get ahead of the talks. With regard to what has been achieved so far following the talks, I think you can see it for yourself. Today, if I am not mistaken, another exchange took place… or was it yesterday? Today, right? And this is important. The humanitarian aspect matters because, as diplomats say, it creates conditions for substantive discussions on core issues. We agreed that after completing these exchanges and the humanitarian operation which we proposed – specifically, the transfer of the servicemen’s bodies – we would press ahead with more contacts. We have already handed over more than 6,000 bodies and are ready to transfer nearly 3,000 more, but it is now up to the Ukrainian side to agree to accept the remains of their fallen soldiers. We agreed that after this phase is completed, we would hold the third round of talks. We are ready for it overall. The venue and the time need to be agreed upon. I expect President Erdogan to keep unchanged his supportive stance with regard to this process. We are very grateful to him for that. We stand ready to hold this meeting in Istanbul. As for the exact timeframe, the heads of the negotiating teams from both sides – who remain in constant, direct contact and regularly get on the phone with each other (which, I believe, is a good sign) – are discussing the date for the next meeting. The agenda? In my opinion, the discussion should focus on the memoranda from both sides. #EU#NATO We are planning to cut the defence expenses next year and the year after, as well during the next three years. The Defence Ministry, the Finance Ministry and the Ministry of Economic Development have yet to reach the final agreement, still, in general, everybody is thinking along these lines. And Europe is thinking about raising its defence expenses. So, who is getting ready for any aggressive actions, us or them? Yes, we do want to complete the special military operation with the result we need. Certainly. This is what we take into account when planning our defence expenses, not aggressive aspirations against Europe and NATO countries. And we want to decrease the expenses, while they want to increase them. 📄Read in full

🗓 On June 19, the #EAEU-ASEAN Business Dialogue was held on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (#SPIEF-2025). 🔹️The business dialogue was attended by the Minister for Integration and Macroeconomics of the Eurasian Economic Commission (#EEC) Mr. Eldar Alisherov, ASEAN Deputy Secretary-General Mr. Satvinder Singh, Union Minister of Investment and Foreign Economic Relations of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar Kan Zaw🇲🇲, Deputy Prime Minister of the Lao People's Democratic Republic Saleumxay Kommasith🇱🇦, Managing Director, Adinin Group of Companies; Chair, ASEAN Business Advisory Council of the Brunei Darussalam Musa Adnin 🇧🇳, General Director, Russian Energy Agency (REA) of the Ministry of Energy of Russia Alexey Kulapin🇷🇺, representatives of business and expert circles from the EAEU and ASEAN Member States. 🔹️The EEC Minister emphasized that it is important for the businesses of the EAEU and ASEAN countries to more actively use the opportunities of digitalization, create data platforms that allow potential partners to find each other, organize business missions, and find new formats for cooperation. Industry dialogue provides good prospects for interaction between the business circles of the EAEU and ASEAN. “The ASEAN Secretariat and the EEC have already taken practical steps. In 2025, a series of industry seminars was launched in such areas as energy, agriculture, customs regulation, intellectual property, e-commerce, competition policy, and transport,” said Eldar Alisherov. “In the future, the EAEU and ASEAN could consider establishing an EAEU-ASEAN dialogue mechanism. It could have a clear business component based on the fact that business is the main beneficiary of trade and economic cooperation,” noted Eldar Alisherov. 🔹️The event was co-organized by the Eurasian Economic Commission (#EEC), the Russia-ASEAN Business Council and the Roscongress Foundation. 📌The Memorandum of Understanding between the EEC and ASEAN on Economic Cooperation was signed on November 14, 2018 in Singapore. To implement the Memorandum, a Cooperation Program for 2020–2025 was adopted. It covers such areas as customs legislation and law enforcement practice, trade policy, entrepreneurship, technical and antimonopoly regulation, SPS measures, energy, functioning of domestic markets, and others. #EEC#EAEU#ASEAN

📄Vladimir Putinsent a message of greetings to President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sadyr Japarov, and Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan to congratulate them on the Day of the Eurasian Economic Union(May 29, 2025). ✍️Vladimir Putin: Please accept my heartfelt greetings on the Day of the Eurasian Economic Union. Integration processes within #EAEU have gathered substantial momentum and have been quite fruitful. We created a common market, which provides for the free movement of goods, services, capital and labour. There is an ongoing effort to harmonise our national regulations in key sectors, while we succeed in undertaking joint economic and infrastructure projects. I am certain that we will keep doing everything to step up our constructive multi-faceted cooperation for the benefit of our peoples and to ensure well-being and stability across the Eurasian space. I wish you good health and success, and happiness and prosperity to your fellow citizens.

🎙 FM Sergey Lavrov’s remarks and answers to questions from teachers and students of the Armenian branches of Russian universities, members of the expert community, and activists of the youth wing of the Eurasia Autonomous Non-Profit Organisation (Yerevan, May 21, 2025) 💬 Subsequent to the meeting between President of Russia Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan in autumn 2024 – during which our leaders resolved to reinstate comprehensive contacts across all areas, as these had, to a certain degree, lapsed somewhat in the period preceding their discussions – and in accordance with the leaders’ understanding, I received Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan who visited Moscow in January. We are now here on a reciprocal visit. We are engaging in the frankest discussions – not only on matters positively received by both capitals and conducive to expanding mutually beneficial projects, but also on issues where our perspectives diverge. This includes, notably, the processes unfolding in the South Caucasus, where, broadly speaking, two trends are in contention. The first trend involves respecting the sovereign choices of the countries situated here – the nations of the South Caucasus, Transcaucasia – Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia – while also acknowledging the legitimate interests of their immediate neighbours: Russia, Iran, and Türkiye. <...> The second trend is precisely that our Western counterparts – primarily the European Union, <...> openly sought to extend their dominant influence over this region, to bend unfolding processes to their will, and to prevent the consolidation of the three South Caucasus states with their major neighbours – Russia, Iran, and Türkiye. This objective persists. This trend, this modus operandi of our Western colleagues, is not unique to the South Caucasus but extends to Central Asia and other parts of our vast, shared continent. <...> In contrast, our stance is based on equality, mutual respect and, above all, the principles that have been set out in the UN Charter and are approved by everyone without exception. <...> The promise not to expand NATO has been thrown down the drain. <...> We have warned them over the past 20 years, almost on the daily basis, that all this could come to grief. But after the 2014 coup d’etat, they began converting Ukraine to an “anti-Russia.” <...> So now, when they tell us: Let us have a ceasefire and then we’ll see, we say: No way, guys, we have been through it all before. We don’t want it that way any longer. And so today, when all these Macrons, Starmers, Ursulas von der Leyen, and other European characters are writhing in hysterics and urging the US to join the anti-Russia crusade and increase the number of sanctions, this is a complete giveaway for them. *** Geopolitics and geography alike underscore the necessity of building bridges among all nations across the Eurasian continent. This means, first and foremost, fostering cooperation among the existing regional structures: the #SCO, the #EAEU, the #CSTO, the #CIS, China’s Belt and Road Initiative, the GCC, and ASEAN. <...> However, there are those who are intent on preventing such a mutually beneficial unification of the countries across Eurasia, including those in the South Caucasus and Central Asia. Nevertheless, we continue to advance this effort. Russia's President Vladimir Putin has proposed the creation of a Greater Eurasian Partnership, rooted in practical cooperation and the interaction of existing integration structures, which would serve as the foundation for a future Eurasian security architecture. <...> 🤝 We anticipate that Armenia will take part in these processes. We fully respect the desire of our Armenian partners to develop relations with other countries, whether European or non-European, and with international organisations across various regions. Read in full

#Announcement 🗓 On May 27-29, 2025, in Moscow, Secretary of the Russian Security Council Sergey Shoigu will chair the 13th International Meeting of High Representatives for Security Issues. Invitations to participate in this forum have been extended to more than 150 states of the Global South and East, the #CIS, #CSTO, #EAEU, and #SCO countries, as well as to the leaders of more than 20 international organisations. The agenda of the 13th forum focuses on international security cooperation. ℹ️ The Security Council of the Russian Federation has been holding the annual international meetings of high representatives in charge of security issues since 2010. It is an important international platform for exchange of views on all global security-related issues and mechanisms to strengthen cooperation between partner countries to combat international terrorism, extremism, transnational crime, drug trafficking, as well as new challenges and threats.

🎙 Excerpt from Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s remarks at a solemn event on the occasion of Diplomatic Worker’s Day (Moscow, February 10, 2025) <…> Forming a broad space of peace and development in Eurasia, which is the world’s largest, resource-rich and rapidly developing continent, should remain our key area of focus. These efforts are facilitated by the objective formation of the Greater Eurasian Partnership through expanding trade and economic ties, carrying out infrastructure projects, and harmonising integration processes, primarily within the #EAEU, the #SCO, #ASEAN and China’s Belt and Road Initiative. <…>

Embassy Comment We have noted the article by Jonathan Eyal “#EU renewed toothless #sanctions against #Russia”, published in The Straits Times on February 1, 2025. We agree with the author that the unilateral illegitimate sanctions aimed at continuing the hybrid war against Russia and inflicting a strategic defeat on us, are both unsuccessful and futile. There is no doubt that the objectives of the special military operation (#SMO) on the #denazification and demilitarization of #Ukraine, its neutral and non-nuclear status, as well as ensuring the interests of the Russian people will be achieved. The “bankrupt” Euro-Atlantic security architecture (#NATO) is being replaced by a new equal and indivisible #EurasianSecurity, which includes all the organizations that have demonstrated their effectiveness – the #EAEU, #SCO, #CSTO, etc. The concept of #Eurasian security aligns with the accelerating formation of a multipolar world order. A key pillar of this shift is the rapidly growing, non-Western center of influence represented by #BRICS, which continues to attract countries from the #GlobalSouth, including #ASEAN member states, paving the way for a BRICS-ASEAN dialogue. The consolidation of the countries of the Global South, making a choice in favor of peaceful, sustainable, inclusive, independent development together with Russia, China and other countries, represents a stable and viable trend in contrast to the outdated Western neocolonial “#InSanctionsWeTrust” mentality.

✅On December 13, 2024, Moscow hosted the fourth meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council, which also included the participation of the heads of government from observer states of the #EAEU — Uzbekistan and Cuba. ✅The heads of government of the Union emphasized the effectiveness of the EAEU in the face of unfavorable external conditions, noting positive trends in key macroeconomic indicators. Between January and September, the Union's combined GDP grew by over 4.5%, industrial production increased by 4.5%, retail trade turnover rose by 8%, and passenger transportation expanded by 7%. ✅A key focus of the discussion was the recently launched supranational mechanism within the EAEU for subsidizing joint cooperative projects using the Union's budget.