Russian Security Council Secretary Shoigu Meets with Indonesian Leaders to Boost Defense Ties

Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu met with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin in Jakarta on Tuesday to discuss strengthening defense cooperation. Indonesia, maintaining a neutral stance in the Ukraine conflict and U.S.-China competition, received Shoigu, a key figure in the decision to deploy Russian troops to Ukraine. The discussions, as reported by Russian news agency RIA, focused on bilateral ties, security, and defense matters. Prabowo, who recently pledged a more assertive global role, had previously met with Putin in Moscow in July. Indonesia and Russia conducted their first joint naval drills in November, with Russia sending several warships and a helicopter. While Jakarta has significant trade relations with Moscow, major arms imports have faced obstacles since 2014. However, Prabowo has sustained a $1.1 billion deal for Russian fighter jets since 2019, despite potential U.S. sanctions.