Moscow turns to Southeast Asia for new allies

Jakarta, Indonesia – Russia is rebuilding its profile across Southeast Asia with new diplomacy, naval exercises and deals in arms and energy, as it tries to diversify its trading partners and renew its sway in the Pacific. Moscow is struggling with lower energy prices and Western economic sanctions that have dragged its economy into recession, spurring it to embrace anew a region where the influence of the US, China, and Japan run deep. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ (ASEAN) 10 fast-growing members, with a combined $2.6 trillion economy, dire energy needs and rising military budgets, are a prime market for Russia’s top exports: hydrocarbons, energy technology and weapons. The 10-member ASEAN countries are Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Vietnam, Singapore, and Thailand. Russian President Vladimir Putin in May signaled the new thrust by hosting the first summit of Southeast Asian nations on Russian soil, setting the [...]