Russia-ASEAN: Strengthening Dialogue Partnership

The outcomes of the Russia-ASEAN ministerial meeting in the Philippines: what issues were on the agenda and why these talks matter in terms of implementing the decisions of the recent leaders’ summit.

A Meeting of Like-Minded Partners

Such statements carry considerable weight and succinctly capture the current level and essence of our relations with the Association. Regular ministerial-level meetings of like-minded partners have by now become a good tradition. The parties consistently exchange information and standpoints on international events in their respective regions and across the globe, and discuss pressing issues pertaining to their dialogue partnership. This time came as no exception, and the outcomes of the talks, which will be examined below, come across as particularly positive.

A Strategic Character

As it was highlighted during the meeting, the Russia-ASEAN partnership is strategic, comprehensive and overarching in nature. The two sides share largely convergent assessments of the international situation: according to Sergey Lavrov, this common ground rests on the understanding that “both Russia and ASEAN are experiencing both the positive and the negative consequences of the processes currently unfolding in the world. The fundamental process is the emergence of a sustainable, just and multipolar world order. However, this objective historical course is being fiercely resisted by those who have dominated the international arena for the past five hundred years – in various guises, from colonialism to slavery. The essence of the stance held by those who obstruct the objective formation of a multipolar world order based on equality and mutually beneficial cooperation remains the same as it was during the colonial and slave-owning eras – namely, to live at the expense of others.” This, he added, has led, among other things, to Western attempts to undermine ASEAN-centred multilateral formats and render them less effective by creating........

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