On June 16, 2025, the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC) hosted a roundtable discussion, “Shaping the External Partnership Framework of the EAEU: Southeast Asia.” The event featured the presentation of a new RIAC working paper, “EAEU–ASEAN: a Model for Sectoral Strategic Partnership.”
Experts at the roundtable had a detailed discussion of the significance, prospects, and political and economic dimensions of cooperation between EAEU and ASEAN member states. Special attention was given to the challenge of formulating effective strategies for Russia and other EAEU member states to develop relations with Southeast Asian nations.
On June 16, 2025, the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC) hosted a roundtable discussion, “Shaping the External Partnership Framework of the EAEU: Southeast Asia.” The event featured the presentation of a new RIAC working paper, “EAEU–ASEAN: a Model for Sectoral Strategic Partnership.”
Experts at the roundtable had a detailed discussion of the significance, prospects, and political and economic dimensions of cooperation between EAEU and ASEAN member states. Special attention was given to the challenge of formulating effective strategies for Russia and other EAEU member states to develop relations with Southeast Asian nations.
The roundtable opened with welcoming remarks from RIAC Director General Ivan Timofeev, Chairman of the Russia–ASEAN Business Council and RIAC Vice-President Ivan Polyakov, and Head of the International Interaction Section at the Integration Development Department of the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) Dmitry Ezhov. Ivan Polyakov emphasized the importance of the expert community developing practical recommendations for better cooperation with ASEAN countries—both for the EAEU and national agencies. In his remarks, Dmitry Ezhov outlined the key areas and achievements of institutional cooperation between the EAEU and ASEAN.
The keynote address was delivered by the author of the working paper and Deputy Director of the Center for Comprehensive European and International Studies at HSE University, Alexander Korolev. He summarized the paper’s key findings, described prevailing trends in cooperation between the organizations, addressed the main challenges to deepening dialogue, shared insights into the interests and priorities of EAEU countries in their engagement with Southeast Asia, and put forward recommendations for stronger cooperation between the blocs.
As part of the discussion, experts weighed in on the findings and reflected on major challenges in political, trade and economic relations between the EAEU and ASEAN. Speakers included Dmitry Mosiakov, Head of the Center for Southeast Asia, Australia and Oceania at the RAS Institute of Oriental Studies; Anna Pak, Associate Professor of the Department of International Economic Relations at RUDN University; Nikita Pyzhikov, Head of the Center for Economic Integration at the Institute for the Development of Integration Processes (IDIP) of the Russian Foreign Trade Academy (RFTA); and Vladimir Mazyrin, Chief Research Fellow at the RAS Institute of China and Contemporary Asia. Also joining the discussion were Elena Aldakushkina, Deputy Head of the Section of Access to Foreign Markets and Settlement of Trade Disputes at the EEC Trade Policy Department; Ivan Dotsenko, Head of the Eurasian Economic Integration Division at the First CIS Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry; Sergey Mikhnevich, Leading Research Fellow at the RAS Institute of China and Contemporary Asia; and Anna Tsibulina, Associate Professor at the Department for Integration Studies of MGIMO University.
The discussion was moderated by RIAC Program Coordinator Gleb Gryzlov and Head of the Center for Economic Integration at IDIP RFTA Nikita Pyzhikov.
