Jokowi Reportedly to Visit Moscow, Indonesian Officials Yet to Confirm

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian officials have yet to confirm a report by a Russian news agency suggesting that President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and President Vladimir Putin are scheduled for a meeting in Moscow on June 30. 

Indonesian Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson Teuku Faizasyah said that they are waiting to confirm this information. “We are also waiting for [confirmation], we must for the news patiently,” said Faizasyah to Tempo. 

The Head of the Presidential Secretariat Heru Budi Hartono and Indonesian Ambassador to Russia Jose Tavares have not issued any statements regarding this plan. 

The Russian Ambassador to Indonesia Lyudmila Vorobieva was not keen on providing any confirmation; “On this matter, we suggest asking the Indonesian Foreign Affairs Ministry.”

Initially, sources from Kremlin told Russian news agency TASS on Tuesday, June 14, that the two leaders will meet in Moscow on June 30. The source said that Jokowi's visit would be very important.

"This is going to be a very important visit. We are preparing for it now," the source said. "President Joko Widodo of Indonesia will visit Moscow on June 30," TASS reported on June 14.

TASS mentioned that its sources stated the importance of Indonesia as a partner, with which Russia has maintained intensive political and economic ties, the Kremlin source said. Especially as Indonesia is set to host the G20 Summit later in the year. 

Meanwhile, Ukrainian Ambassador to Indonesia Vasyl Hamianin argued that every partnership that embraces Moscow will potentially become a source of funding for Russia to continue its invasion of Ukraine. However, he looks forward to seeing Kremlin stopping the war if the report on President Jokowi’s plan to visit Russia is to arbiter the deadly conflict.

DANIEL AHMAD

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