Leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations are scheduled to participate in a commemorative summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Russia this June, according to the Philippines’ top diplomat on Friday.
Philippine Foreign Secretary Theresa Lazaro announced on X that she had a phone conversation with her Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, regarding ASEAN’s upcoming gathering in the Russian city of Kazan.
According to the Russian Embassy in Manila, Lavrov and Lazaro discussed “the prospects of expanding Russia’s strategic partnership” with ASEAN in preparation for the June 17 to 18 summit.
ASEAN’s membership consists of the Philippines, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, East Timor and Vietnam.
While the majority of ASEAN member states supported a United Nations General Assembly resolution that condemned Russia for its Feb. 24, 2022, invasion of Ukraine, the regional organization has continued its relationship with Moscow as a “dialogue partner” and participates in annual high-level meetings with Russian officials.
The diverse ASEAN membership includes states with varying international alignments. Some nations, such as Washington’s treaty ally the Philippines, which currently holds the association’s yearly rotating presidency, are viewed as aligned with the United States. Other members maintain significant trade and security relationships with China and Russia. Vietnam and Laos chose to abstain from the UN General Assembly resolution regarding the attack on Ukraine.
Multiple ASEAN members, including the Philippines Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam, have either imported or shown interest in buying Russian crude oil following the spike in global fuel prices after the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran in February.
A Philippine government official, speaking anonymously to The Associated Press due to lack of authorization to discuss the matter publicly, confirmed that Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will participate in the summit with Putin.
Singapore’s participation remains uncertain. The prosperous island nation has condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and implemented sanctions against Moscow.
Myanmar’s leader, despite the country currently coordinating ASEAN’s relations with Russia, will probably be barred from attending. ASEAN has banned Myanmar’s leaders from participating in high-level meetings, including annual summits with Asian and Western nations, following Myanmar’s military forcibly removing Aung San Suu Kyi’s democratically elected government in 2021, which triggered a civil war. Lower-level career diplomats have been permitted to participate.
In 2021, ASEAN leaders put forward a five-point peace plan calling for an immediate cessation of fighting and hostilities, but Myanmar’s government has not succeeded in ending the violence or promoting dialogue.
