KAZAN, Russia — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday claimed that Russia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have “common moral values” in pushing for a “just world order,” but made no mention of his country’s nearly half-decade war with Ukraine, which other world leaders have described as an “unprovoked invasion.”
Putin gave the statement during the ASEAN-Russian Gala Dinner ahead of their June 18 Commemorative Summit that marks the 35 years of dialogue partnership between the 11-member regional bloc and Eurasia’s biggest economy.
“We, together, promote the emergence of a just world order, protect principles of sovereignity of state, non-interference into domestic affairs of states,” Putin said before proposing a toast.
“Both Russia and ASEAN countries have common moral values, respect national uniqueness of each other, recognize cultural and civilizational diversity in the world or that our states have their own development models,” he said.
“They don’t impose their views on anyone, which is the source — without any doubt — our strength,” he added.
Putin — who has been in power since 2012 — pushed for the annexation of Crimea in 2014, which geopolitical experts have described as a move to deter the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s (NATO) expansion in Ukraine as well as to secure Russia’s naval base in Sevastopol.
In 2022, Putin ordered Russian troops to march into the Donbas region of Ukraine, and took control of Donetsk and Luhansk.
Earlier this year, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged Putin to cease hostilities and to start peace talks to end the years-long war, but Moscow brushed off Kyiv’s invitation.
“Russia is prepared to continue active joint work with ASEAN member states to strengthen bilateral strategic partnership for the interest of ensuring security, well being and prosperity of our peoples and countries, as well as the Eurasian region in general,” Putin said in his Gala Dinner speech.
The Russian President also underscored that the former Soviet Union “has helped many nations of Southeastern Asia to liberate themselves from the artifacts of the colonial era.”
Russia is now keen on “strengthening partnership in order to bring a more advance level to build up comprehensively mutually beneficial ties and contact in politics and security, economy, trade and investment, cultural and humanitarian spheres.”
“I am sure we can look into the future with optimism because cooperation between Russia and ASEAN relies on strong ties of friendship and mutual help, accumulated positive experience of partner work,” he said.
Singapore — ASEAN’s richest economy — earlier imposed trade and investment sanctions against Russia, including an importation ban on weapons, technology and other goods that the Eurasian giant may use in its war against Ukraine.
Despite this, Russia remains to be ASEAN’s 10th largest trading partner and 11the largest source of investments, according to data from the regional bloc.