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| Russian President Vladimir Putin met Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong during the ASEAN-Russia Summit in Kazan |
KAZAN, Russia — Russian President Vladimir Putin held separate meetings with Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong during the ASEAN-Russia Commemorative Summit in Kazan on Thursday. The discussions focused on expanding economic cooperation, strengthening energy partnerships, enhancing tourism exchanges, and addressing regional security challenges.
Russia and Thailand Seek Broader Economic and Energy Cooperation
During his meeting with Anutin, Putin discussed ways to deepen bilateral cooperation in trade, energy, and security. The leaders also exchanged views on the impact of ongoing tensions in the Middle East on global energy markets and international energy security.
Thailand expressed support for expanding cooperation with Russia in several sectors, including clean energy, liquefied natural gas (LNG), petrochemicals, and fertilizer production. Both sides also reaffirmed their commitment to advancing negotiations on a free trade agreement between Thailand and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), a regional economic bloc led by Russia.
In addition to economic matters, the two countries agreed to strengthen collaboration in defense, public health, science, education, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and tourism. They also discussed joint efforts to combat online fraud and cyber-enabled scams, which have become growing concerns across the region.
The meeting comes as Thailand and Russia prepare to mark the 130th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2027. Anutin noted that nearly two million Russian tourists visited Thailand in 2025, highlighting the importance of tourism as a key pillar of bilateral relations.
Singapore Reiterates Position on Ukraine
In a separate meeting, Putin and Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong reviewed bilateral relations and exchanged views on regional and international developments.
Following the talks, Wong reaffirmed Singapore’s longstanding position regarding the conflict in Ukraine. He stated that Singapore’s policy is based on the principle that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries must be respected, regardless of their size or geopolitical influence.
Wong later shared his remarks on social media platform X, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a rules-based international order and adherence to international law.
The Singaporean leader also met with Rustam Minnikhanov, head of Russia’s Republic of Tatarstan, during his first official visit to Kazan. Minnikhanov recalled previous meetings with Singapore’s founding prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew, and highlighted the longstanding people-to-people connections that have developed between Singapore and Tatarstan over the years.
Russia Strengthens Ties with Southeast Asia
The meetings reflected Moscow’s continuing efforts to strengthen relations with Southeast Asian nations through trade, investment, energy cooperation, and diplomatic engagement.
According to data from the Thai-Russian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, bilateral trade between Russia and Thailand is valued at approximately $1.5 billion annually. Meanwhile, Singapore remains one of Russia’s largest trading partners in Southeast Asia, with two-way trade exceeding $4 billion in recent years, based on figures from Russia’s Ministry of Economic Development and Singapore government agencies.
The discussions in Kazan highlighted Russia’s broader strategy of expanding economic and political partnerships across Asia while reinforcing cooperation with member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). As global geopolitical and economic uncertainties continue to shape international relations, both Thailand and Singapore signaled their interest in maintaining constructive engagement with Russia while pursuing their respective national priorities.
