The policy allows Jakarta to engage multiple partners simultaneously, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Yvonne Mewengkang said, noting Prabowo’s visits to Russia and France coincided with Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin travelling to the United States.
“The president’s visits reflect Indonesia’s commitment to keeping dialogue open with all strategic partners,” Mewengkang told reporters in Jakarta after a media briefing.
She added that the visits demonstrate Indonesia’s ability to maintain open lines of communication with all sides amid the current dynamic geopolitical situation, adding that the country was welcomed by all countries at any time, she said.
“This shows that we can be accepted by anyone, anytime,” she added, while emphasizing that this approach should not be viewed as Indonesia “playing both sides.”
On Monday (April 13), President Prabowo and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a bilateral meeting, where they agreed to enhance cooperation in areas such as the economy, energy, space, agriculture, industry, and pharmaceuticals.
Following the talks, Indonesia’s Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia held negotiations with Russian Energy Minister Sergey Tsivilev regarding the purchase of crude oil and LPG from Russia.
Meanwhile, on the same day, Defense Minister Sjafrie met with U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth at the Pentagon to discuss strengthening defense cooperation.
During the meeting, both sides agreed to elevate defense ties to a Major Defense Cooperation Partnership (MDCP) as a framework to enhance collaboration in achieving peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
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Translator: Nabil Ihsan, Kuntum Khaira
Editor: M Razi Rahman
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