Russia’s Relations with Southeast Asia

This effort is part of its ongoing turn to the East, intended to allow Russia to reduce its dependence on the West, while harnessing the dynamic growth of the Asia-Pacific region as a means to modernize the Russian Far East and ultimately Russia itself. While its relations with the region have been gradually improving, Russia is still not that significant a player in Southeast Asia. Moreover, relationships in the region generally take a backseat to the critical partnership with China. Vietnam and Myanmar continue to be the most important partners, although Russia has made efforts to develop closer ties with Malaysia, Indonesia and, most recently, the Philippines.