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Russian security chief meets Anwar in Malaysia
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim hosted Shoigu at his office, and the Russian former defence chief who is now secretary of Moscow's Security Council was also due to meet with Malaysian Defence Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin.
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This handout photo taken and released by the Prime Minister's Office of Malaysia on February 27, 2025 shows Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim (right) shaking hands with Russia's Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu (left) during a meeting in Putrajaya. (AFP/Handout)
T
op Russian security official Sergei Shoigu held talks on defence 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 defence chief who is now secretary of Moscow's Security Council was also due to meet with Malaysian Defence Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin.
"Our discussions focused on several significant matters pertaining to the relationship between our two countries, among others education, security and defence issues," Anwar said on X.
Russia's state news agency TASS said Shoigu read out a message from President Vladimir Putin in which he "conveyed his warm greetings and emphasised that Russian-Malaysian relations have traditionally been friendy".
"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 Defence 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.
