Dr Ian Storey, a senior fellow on the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, instructed CNA that Russia is eager to boost its recreation in Southeast Asia as a result of it desires to reveal to the West that its efforts to isolate Russia following its invasion of Ukraine have failed, particularly within the International South.
He added that Russia desires to avoid Western sanctions by rising gross sales of oil and pure gasoline to regional states.
Nevertheless, he burdened that there will probably be a combined reception for Russia’s involvement within the area.
“The Kremlin has some outdated associates in Southeast Asia, together with Vietnam, Laos, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. It has additionally moved nearer to Myanmar because the army seized energy in February 2021. However Singapore and the Philippines stay against Russian aggression in opposition to Ukraine,” mentioned Dr Storey.
The US has additionally been essential of some nations which have hosted Mr Putin since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
For example, in response to Mr Putin’s visit to Mongolia this week, Washington mentioned that no nation ought to give him “a platform to advertise his struggle of aggression in opposition to Ukraine”, the same line it took in opposition to Vietnam earlier in 2024 for internet hosting the Russian chief.
Throughout his working go to, PM Anwar additionally invited Mr Putin to attend subsequent yr’s ASEAN Summit, which will probably be chaired by Malaysia. The ASEAN Summit sometimes additionally encompasses different summits such because the ASEAN-China Summit, the ASEAN-US Summit and the East Asia Summit.
Russia, US and China are members of the East Asia Summit.
“It is a daring transfer by Anwar to ask Putin to the East Asia Summit, as a few of ASEAN’s Dialogue Companions might threaten to boycott the assembly if the Russian chief attends,” mentioned Dr Storey.
Nevertheless, he famous that Mr Putin had attended the East Asia Summit solely as soon as in individual – in the course of the 2018 occasion held in Singapore, and that Russia is prone to ship Overseas Minister Sergey Lavrov as an alternative for subsequent yr’s Summit.
Dr Azmi Hassan, a senior fellow on the Nusantara Academy for Strategic Analysis, instructed CNA that many nations in ASEAN have robust commerce ties with the US and given how Russia and the US are locked in two opposing camps, Mr Anwar’s invitation to Mr Putin might increase eyebrows amongst some regional nations.
“Malaysia will probably be ASEAN Chair subsequent yr and this can make issues sophisticated for the US particularly as a result of Malaysia has no downside working alongside the likes of Putin, Xi, though Anwar has burdened that he desires to show neutrality,” mentioned the political analyst.
ANWAR’S BRICS AMBITIONS STAYING CONSISTENT TO NEUTRALITY?
Analysts instructed CNA that Mr Anwar’s go to to Russia is partly to underline Malaysia’s international coverage which embraces the precept of “neutrality” and being “everyone’s buddy”. On the identical time, they added that the prime minister was eager to reiterate Malaysia’s want to be part of the BRICS group of rising economies.
BRICS, established in 2009, initially included Brazil, Russia, India, and China, whereas South Africa joined a yr later. It has since expanded to incorporate Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates.
The worldwide organisation now contributes to 1 / 4 of the worldwide financial system, accounts for one-fifth of worldwide commerce and represents about 40 per cent of the world’s inhabitants.
