Lukashenko’s Official Visit to Indonesia
Belarus’s self-declared president, Alexander Lukashenko, made an official trip to Indonesia, where he held talks with President Prabowo Subianto. The meeting took place at the Merdeka Presidential Palace and resulted in the signing of seven priority agreements. The two sides also approved a five-year 'Roadmap' for cooperation covering 2026–2030, which aims to boost bilateral trade to 500 million US dollars by 2030.
Key Areas of Cooperation
Indonesia has expressed interest in importing Belarusian potash fertilizers and industrial machinery. Meanwhile, Minsk hopes to become a supplier of powdered milk for Indonesia’s free meal program (MBG). The signed deals span multiple sectors, including:
- industry
- science
- medicine
- national standards accreditation
A separate agreement on combating money laundering was signed by the financial intelligence units of both countries: Indonesia’s PPATK and Belarus’s Financial Monitoring Department.
This visit comes as Western nations have scaled back cooperation with Minsk following the 2020 Belarusian presidential election and the start of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine. In late June, Lukashenko also traveled to China, where he met with Chinese President Xi Jinping, who described China and Belarus as 'iron friends' and reaffirmed support for Belarus’s sovereignty.
“China and Belarus are iron friends.”
Xi Jinping
Prior to his trip to Beijing, Lukashenko held talks with Vladimir Putin, underscoring Minsk’s active foreign policy amid international isolation.
Lukashenko’s visit to Indonesia marks a significant step in strengthening economic ties between the two nations as Belarus faces growing international isolation. The agreements could help diversify Belarusian exports and open new markets for its goods. They also reflect Lukashenko’s drive to seek new partners globally, particularly in Asia, as cooperation with Western countries continues to shrink.
As Belarus seeks to strengthen its economic partnerships amid increasing international isolation, recent developments in Lukashenko's foreign policy are noteworthy. Following his meeting with Indonesian leaders, the Belarusian president has also been in discussions with Vladimir Putin regarding the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. For an in-depth look at how these geopolitical dynamics are influencing Belarus's stance and its relationship with Russia, see the details on Lukashenko's refusal to comply with Putin's demands.