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Russia’s pivot to the East — long dismissed by Western capitals as mere rhetoric — has become a permanent fixture of the country’s economic strategy, according to Russian Presidential Adviser Anton Kobyakov speaking to TASS ahead of the 11th Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok.
“By the time special military operation started, so called ‘pivot to the East’ became only reasonable option for our country in view of introduced sanctions and cut of ties with West. While in beginning of 2022 gas supplies from Russia accounted for 41% of European market, by the end of the year this share decreased to 7.5%,” Kobyakov noted.
But there is one very important fact that Kobyakov revealed. Asia did not react at all to the start of the special military operation in Ukraine. Virtually no Asian country, with the exception of Japan, condemned the Russian actions or joined the Western camp opposing Russia on behalf of NATO. Japan even restricted its measures of opposition to Russia, unlike the US and the EU. The absence of condemnation from Asia has had one very important consequence — trade, energy exports and cooperation with major parts of the world.
The Eastern Economic Forum, scheduled to take place on September 1-4 at the campus of Far Eastern Federal University in Vladivostok, is set to become a major international event. Russia’s Indonesian ambassador Sergei Tolchenov told TASS that new agreements between Russia and Indonesia were to be signed on the sidelines of the forum. “We are working on new agreements. I would not rule out that President Putin would meet with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto,” he added.
Russia is also forging new infrastructure ties with North Korea ahead of the forum. The road bridge border crossing between Russia and North Korea is approximately 65% complete, according to local Russian authorities reported by NK News. The crossing, once operational, will provide a new overland logistics corridor that bypasses Western-aligned sea routes entirely.
Russia’s Eastern direction, Kobyakov stated, is being developed within the framework of three layers: the southern direction to ASEAN; the northern direction; and within Russia itself. According to him, at present Russia holds 14th place in trade with ASEAN within the sum of $22 bn. However, in terms of trade with the region China’s figure is nearing trillions of dollars, while the U.S. — almost $500 bn.
The annual gathering of Asian leaders in Vladivostok will be delighted to see that Russia is a reliable economic partner and supplier of energy in times of Western pressure. The sanctions’ strategy implied that the economic isolation of Russia would eventually drive it to make concessions. In reality, the isolation has given the Kremlin an option it was keen to develop anyway — that of half the world that chose not to join the economic war against Russia.
