Prabowo and Putin Commit to Closer Ties Amid US-Iran Conflict

Regional outlets present Prabowo as trying to balance Indonesia’s ties between Russia and Western countries while conflicts in the Middle East and Europe unsettle trade and security. They stress that Jakarta wants Russian energy and defense cooperation but also needs French and wider European support for investment and technology. Commentators in Southeast Asia expect Prabowo to keep Indonesia formally non-aligned while quietly expanding options with all sides.

• •Regional commentators describe Prabowo’s back-to-back meetings with Vladimir Putin and Emmanuel Macron as a deliberate signal that Indonesia will not lean fully toward any single power.
• •Southeast Asian coverage links Prabowo’s interest in Russian cooperation to concerns over energy security and defense supplies during the US-Iran war.
• •Regional reports say Indonesia wants to use closer ties with Russia to gain better terms from Western partners on arms, infrastructure and investment.
• •Commentary in Jakarta-based outlets argues that calling Russia a strategic global player helps Prabowo justify deeper cooperation to domestic audiences.
• •Regional analysts expect Prabowo to keep Indonesia active in ASEAN while also building personal ties with leaders in Moscow, Paris and Beijing.