WEB DESK: President Prabowo Subianto’s presence as a keynote speaker at Russia’s St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) 2025, scheduled for Friday, highlights Indonesia’s leadership on the global stage, a legislator stated.
In her remarks on Thursday regarding Prabowo’s participation, Farah Puteri Nahlia stated that the forum could provide momentum to enhance Indonesia’s image as a politically stable country with strong economic prospects.
Nahlia, a member of the House of Representatives’ Commission I, emphasized that the president’s role as keynote speaker at SPIEF goes beyond being merely a source of national pride.
She believes that the forum, considered one of the world’s biggest and most important business events, is also a golden opportunity for the Indonesian government to strengthen its bargaining power.
Nahlia, who represents the House’s commission overseeing defense, security, foreign affairs, and communications, explained that this bargaining power extends beyond trade and investment to encompass multilateral diplomacy.
She affirmed that President Prabowo’s attendance at SPIEF 2025, in response to an invitation from Russian President Vladimir Putin, underscores Indonesia’s strategic position on the global stage.
Prabowo and his entourage arrived at around 6 p.m. local time. Before his arrival, Foreign Minister Sugiono and his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, had met in Moscow on Tuesday.
During their bilateral meeting, the two foreign ministers discussed efforts to elevate bilateral relations to the level of a strategic partnership, according to a press statement from the Indonesian Foreign Ministry.
The St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, held annually since 1997, aims to help Russia, emerging markets, and the world address current economic challenges.
Last year, more than 21,800 participants from 139 countries attended SPIEF events in both in-person and virtual formats, resulting in the signing of 1,073 agreements worth approximately RUB 6.5 trillion (US$82.8 billion), according to the forum’s website.
