Prime Minister (PM) Lawrence Wong met Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the ASEAN-Russia Commemorative Summit in Kazan, Russia.
While there, he reiterated Singapore’s position on the war in Ukraine.
In a Facebook post on Friday (19 June), PM Wong said Singapore’s stance was guided by principles rather than geopolitical alignment.
Source: MDDI Photo by Kendrick Wong
“Singapore has taken the position we did on Ukraine — not because of alignment with any side, but because we believe the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries must be respected,” he wrote.
He added that Singapore supports “efforts towards a just, lasting and durable peace, consistent with international law and the UN Charter”.
PM Wong was in Kazan from 17 to 18 June to attend the ASEAN-Russia Commemorative Summit at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The summit marked two milestones: the 35th anniversary of ASEAN-Russia relations and the 30th anniversary of the ASEAN-Russia Dialogue Partnership.
According to a press release published on Friday (19 June) by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), ASEAN and Russia reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation in areas of mutual interest.
Source: Bongbong Marcos on Facebook
During the summit, PM Wong welcomed Russia’s support for ASEAN Centrality. He encouraged Moscow’s continued participation in ASEAN-led platforms such as the ASEAN Regional Forum and East Asia Summit.
The summit took place against a backdrop of growing geopolitical tensions.
Despite this, PM Wong also called on countries to uphold international law and the rules-based international order.
He reiterated ASEAN’s long-standing position that parties involved in conflicts should exercise restraint.
PM Wong urged them to return to dialogue and seek peaceful resolutions in accordance with international law.
Regarding Ukraine, PM Wong emphasised that Singapore’s position stemmed from its consistent commitment to the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Source: PMO Photo by Ken Chua
The Prime Minister later said his discussion with President Putin underscored “the value of dialogue and engagement, even when countries do not see eye to eye on every issue”.
“Singapore values its long-standing ties with Russia and its people, and we will continue to look for opportunities to cooperate in areas of mutual interest,” he added.
According to MFA, the meeting between PM Wong and President Putin took place at Russia’s request as part of the summit programme.
Source: Bongbong Marcos on Facebook
The two leaders exchanged views on bilateral relations and on regional and international developments.
PM Wong also said he looked forward to working with Russia during Singapore’s ASEAN chairmanship in 2027.
The summit concluded with the adoption of several outcome documents.
These include the Kazan Declaration, a Joint Statement on Cultural Cooperation.
Another was the ASEAN-Russia Comprehensive Plan of Action for 2026 to 2030.
PM Wong also met the Rais of the Republic of Tatarstan, Rustam Minnikhanov.
Source: MDDI Photo by Kendrick Wong
The leaders discussed cooperation in areas such as culture, education and people-to-people exchanges.
Singapore and Tatarstan have maintained ties for nearly two decades. These ties date back to a 2007 visit by Lee Kuan Yew.
After concluding his visit to Russia, PM Wong travelled to Istanbul. He was scheduled to meet Recep Tayyip Erdoğan before returning to Singapore.
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Featured image courtesy of Kendrick Wong for MDDI.