Beyond Rhetoric: What Russia Really Brings to ASEAN
Russia and Vietnam signed an agreement to build Southeast Asia's first nuclear power plant in Ninh Thuan, with Russia offering advanced technology and expertise in small modular reactors to address the region's growing energy demands.
This article was written by H.E. Mr. Evgeny Tomikhin, Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the Kingdom of Thailand.
On April 20–21, 2026, the Russian city of Kazan hosted the 22nd Russia-ASEAN Senior Officials' Meeting, a regular event in the evolving dialogue between Russia and the Association. This meeting took place in a symbolic year: 2026 marks the 35th Anniversary of Russia-ASEAN relations – a partnership that had matured alongside profound transformations in the global order.
Anniversaries often invited reflection. Yet beyond ceremonial language, a more important question arose: what is the real substance of Russia-ASEAN cooperation today? And, more pointedly, does Russia indeed "have little to offer" Southeast Asia, as some commentators suggested?
Such claims tend to overlook a fundamental shift in how international partnerships are evaluated. ASEAN countries consistently emphasized pragmatism, strategic autonomy, and diversification. In this context, Russia's role should not be measured by comparison with any single external actor, but by the concrete value it brought across multiple domains.
Energy cooperation provides perhaps the clearest answer. On March 23, 2026, Russia and Vietnam signed an intergovernmental agreement to construct the Ninh Thuan 1 nuclear power plant – the first such facility in Southeast Asia. This is not a symbolic project. It involves advanced technology, long-term investment, workforce training, and the development of an entire ecosystem around peaceful nuclear energy. For a region facing rising energy demand, climate challenges, and the need for reliable baseload power, such cooperation speaks directly to ASEAN's priorities.
Russia possesses advanced and practical expertise in the field of small modular reactors (SMRs). Unlike many other countries where such technologies remain at the design stage, Russia already operates real, functioning solutions – including the world's first floating nuclear power plant, Akademik Lomonosov. These developments offer flexible, safe and cost-effective energy solutions, particularly relevant for archipelagic and remote areas. There is genuine interest in SMRs across ASEAN, and Russia stands ready to share its technologies and experience on a mutually beneficial basis.
Importantly, this project also illustrates a broader point: Russia's comparative advantage lies in sectors that require long-term commitment, technological depth, and respect for national development strategies. Nuclear energy, hydrocarbons, transport infrastructure, and food security are not areas of short-term engagement. They are foundational elements of economic sovereignty – something ASEAN states value highly.
Since 2024, Russia is also an ASEAN Digital Partner. Russian expertise in e-governance, digital public services, fintech solutions, and IT infrastructure development provides additional avenues for cooperation.
