Russia is hosting a summit in Sochi on 19-20 May 2016 to commemorate twenty years of its dialogue relations with ASEAN. It will explore further cooperation between the two in another affirmation of Russia’s growing ‘pivot to the east’ policy under President Vladimir Putin, concurrent with its falling-out with the West. What are Russia’s objectives, its ‘Asian’ credentials and the potential for economic and strategic cooperation with ASEAN?

Russia is hosting a summit with leaders of ASEAN in Sochi on 19-20 May 2016 to commemorate 20 years of dialogue relations with ASEAN. In what is another affirmation of Russia’s growing “pivot to the east” policy under President Vladimir Putin, concurrent with its falling out with the West, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has defined the aim of the Sochi summit as developing a long-term strategic vision of Russia-ASEAN relations, and to explore prospects for economic cooperation between ASEAN and Russia together with the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).

Though Moscow has increased its diplomatic engagement with the Asia-Pacific region, hosting the 2012 APEC meeting in Vladivostok, and acquiring membership of the East Asia summit in 2011, many would puzzle over Russia’s commitment to ASEAN and the Southeast Asian region given the sporadic nature of Russia’s interest in the region. Putin has yet to attend a single East Asian Summit.

… Bhavna Dave is Senior Lecturer in the Department of Politics and International Studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) and a contributor to RSIS Commentary.