Putin Strengthens Business Alliances With Southeast Asian Leaders

WHO:

ABC News - President Vladimir Putin hosted leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

ABC News - Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. co-chaired the summit with Putin.

ABC News - Brunei’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim were also present.

WHAT:

ABC News - The summit aimed to strengthen economic and political ties between Russia and ASEAN.

ABC News - The two-day meeting in Kazan focused on expanding Russia’s “strategic partnership” with ASEAN nations.

ABC News - Putin expressed confidence that the summit would “create new opportunities for expanding mutually beneficial trade, investment, and industrial cooperation.”

ABC News - Putin stated that Russia and ASEAN nations "jointly stand for forming a just world order."

WHERE:

ABC News - The summit was held in Kazan, Russia, on the Volga River.

WHEN:

ABC News - The summit marks the 35th anniversary of Russia-ASEAN relations.

ABC News - The ASEAN summit in Manila is scheduled for November.

WHY:

ABC News - The summit seeks to bolster business ties and enhance cooperation among ASEAN nations and Russia.

ABC News - Ushakov emphasized the need for a “just and democratic multipolar world order based on the principles of international law and the United Nations Charter.”

HOW:

ABC News - The agenda includes exchanging views on global and regional issues and reviewing efforts to develop Russia-ASEAN ties.

ABC News - Putin held bilateral meetings with ASEAN leaders during the summit.

(UPDATED June 18, 2026 14:07 UTC)

President Putin hosted leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, including Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Brunei’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, and Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, at a summit in Kazan, Russia, aimed at strengthening economic and political ties. The two-day meeting focused on expanding Russia's strategic partnership with ASEAN nations, with Putin expressing confidence that it would create new opportunities for trade, investment, and industrial cooperation. The summit also marks the 35th anniversary of Russia-ASEAN relations, with an ASEAN summit scheduled for November in Manila.