This article was written by H.E. Mr. Evgeny Tomikhin, Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the Kingdom of Thailand.
On April 20–21, 2026, the Russian city of Kazan hosted the 22nd Russia-ASEAN Senior Officials’ Meeting, a regular event in the evolving dialogue between Russia and the Association. This meeting took place in a symbolic year: 2026 marks the 35th Anniversary of Russia-ASEAN relations – a partnership that had matured alongside profound transformations in the global order.
Anniversaries often invited reflection. Yet beyond ceremonial language, a more important question arose: what is the real substance of Russia-ASEAN cooperation today? And, more pointedly, does Russia indeed “have little to offer” Southeast Asia, as some commentators suggested?
Such claims tend to overlook a fundamental shift in how international partnerships are evaluated. ASEAN countries consistently emphasized pragmatism, strategic autonomy, and diversification. In this context, Russia’s role should not be a measured by comparison with any single external actor, but by the concrete value it brought across multiple domains.
Energy cooperation provides perhaps the clearest answer. On March 23, 2026, Russia and Vietnam signed an intergovernmental agreement to construct the Ninh Thuan 1 nuclear power plant – the first such facility in Southeast Asia. This is not a symbolic project. It involves advanced technology, long-term investment, workforce training, and the development of an entire ecosystem around peaceful nuclear energy. For a region facing rising energy demand, climate challenges, and the need for reliable baseload power, such cooperation speaks directly to ASEAN’s priorities.
Russia possesses advanced and practical expertise in the field of small modular reactors (SMRs). Unlike many other countries where such technologies remain at the design stage, Russia already operates real, functioning solutions – including the world’s first floating nuclear power plant, Akademik Lomonosov. These developments offer flexible, safe and cost-effective energy solutions, particularly relevant for archipelagic and remote areas. There is genuine interest in SMRs across ASEAN, and Russia stands ready to share its technologies and experience on the mutually beneficial basis.
Importantly, this project also illustrates a broader point: Russia’s comparative advantage lies in sectors that require long-term commitment, technological depth, and respect for national development strategies. Nuclear energy, hydrocarbons, transport infrastructure, food security are not areas of short-term engagement. They are foundational elements of economic sovereignty – something ASEAN states value highly.
Since 2024 Russia is also an ASEAN Digital Partner. Russian expertise in
e-governance, digital public services, fintech solutions, and IT infrastructure development provides additional avenues for cooperation. As Southeast Asia continues its rapid digital transformation, there is growing demand for secure, sovereign, and adaptable technological solutions – areas where Russia has accumulated substantial experience and practical capabilities.
In practical terms, an important area of joint efforts, including through the Association of ASEAN National Police (ASEANAPOL), where Russia received dialogue partner status in 2014, is the first against global challenges and threats: terrorism, transnational crime, drug trafficking, illegal migration and human trafficking, as well as ensuring information security.
Youth engagement has also become an increasingly important pillar of
Russia-ASEAN cooperation. Over the years, five youth summits as well as a meeting of young diplomats have brought together young leaders from across ASEAN and Russia. These initiatives have created opportunities for networking, cultural exchange, and the development of future-oriented partnerships.
Equally significant is Russia’s approach to regional affairs. Unlike models that frame Southeast Asia primarily through the lens of geopolitical competition, Russia has consistently supported ASEAN centrality and the principle of inclusive, non-bloc cooperation. In a period marked by increasing polarization, this approach resonates with ASEAN’s own vision of a balanced and open regional architecture.
The meeting in Kazan should therefore have been seen not merely as a routine diplomatic event, but as part of a broader effort to deepen engagement. It provided an opportunity to focus on practical mechanisms that could bring tangible benefits to both sides.
At a time when the international system is undergoing profound change, ASEAN’s global and regional role continues to evolve. Russia, for its part, is actively diversifying its external partnerships and strengthening its presence in Asia. These trajectories are not contradictory – they are complementary.
The real question, then, is not whether Russia has something to offer ASEAN, but whether both sides are ready to fully realize the potential that already exists. The answer will depend less on rhetoric and more on sustained, pragmatic cooperation.
If approached in this spirit, the Russia-ASEAN partnership will continue to mature – not as a headline-driven relationship, but as a steady and meaningful contributor to a more balanced and multipolar international system.
