Top Russian security official Sergei Shoigu held talks on defense and security with Malaysia’s leader on Thursday, as Moscow seeks to boost ties with Southeast Asia after its sudden rapprochement with the United States under President Donald Trump.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim hosted Shoigu at his office, and the Russian former defense chief who is now secretary of Moscow’s Security Council was also due to meet with Malaysian Defense Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin.
“Our discussions focused on several significant matters pertaining to the relationship between our two countries, among others education, security and defense issues,” Anwar said on X.
Hari ini saya menerima kunjungan hormat Setiausaha Majlis Keselamatan Persekutuan Rusia Sergei Shoigu yang dalam lawatan kerja ke Malaysia.
Dalam pertemuan, kami terus membincangkan beberapa perkara penting dalam meningkatkan hubungan dua hala termasuk isu pertahanan,… pic.twitter.com/ICGSifTwAB
— Anwar Ibrahim (@anwaribrahim) February 27, 2025
Russia’s state news agency TASS said Shoigu read out a message from President Vladimir Putin in which he “conveyed his warm greetings and emphasized that Russian-Malaysian relations have traditionally been friendly.”
“We will be discussing space and nuclear energy,” he added.
Shoigu, seen as influential in the decision to send Russian troops into Ukraine in 2022, also met with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin in Jakarta this week.
Analysts told AFP that with the recent improvement of ties between Washington and Moscow, countries are free to engage Russia with no fear of US reprisals due to sanctions imposed after the Ukraine invasion by Trump’s predecessor Joe Biden.
“It is of great strategic significance as the visit signals a critical turning point in Russia’s eastward pivot to engaging Southeast Asia,” said Mustafa Izzuddin, who teaches international relations at the Islamic University of Indonesia.
“Putin’s Russia sees Indonesia and Malaysia as twin strategic gateways to enhance the country’s engagement with the wider Southeast Asian region… due to deepening bilateral trust stemming from the neutral stances of Indonesia and Malaysia on the Russo-Ukranian War.”
Oh Ei Sun, of the Pacific Research Centre of Malaysia, said that Indonesia and Malaysia are key regional players and are also among the biggest buyers of Russian military equipment.
“Now that Trump is effusively celebrating abrupt American rapprochement with Russia, the pressure is all off on Southeast Asian countries to choose sides,” Oh said.
“These countries can now well afford to openly embrace Russia, which Russia is of course happy to reciprocate.”
