Russia – ASEAN Summit in Kazan: preparation at the highest level

      In Moscow, under the guidance of the assistant to the President of the Russian Federation, Yuri Ushakov, a meeting of the organizing committee for the preparation of the Russia – ASEAN summit took place. This summit will be held for the first time in Kazan, following the presidential decree No. 268 dated April 21, 2026. The participants discussed the protocol, security, transportation, and the final declaration that will solidify 35 years of strategic partnership. Kazan is preparing for this historic event. The capital of Tatarstan will host the Russia – ASEAN summit, a high-level meeting involving ten Southeast Asian countries. The meeting of the organizing committee, chaired by Yuri Ushakov, gathered representatives from federal authorities, the government of the Republic of Tatarstan led by Prime Minister Alexey Pesoshin, as well as members of the Roscongress Foundation and relevant agencies. Yuri Ushakov emphasized, "Russia has successful experience in hosting events of this scale, including the summit in Sochi in 2016. It is important today to ensure clear coordination among all structures so that the meeting in Kazan is held at the highest level and strengthens the strategic partnership between Russia and ASEAN." The meeting thoroughly worked through key aspects of the preparation: organizational, protocol, transportation, medical, and media support. Special attention was given to inter-agency coordination. The advisor to the President of the Russian Federation and the responsible secretary of the organizing committee, Anton Kobyakov, noted the intensive work schedule: "There is very little time left before the events begin. Our task is to ensure a high level of organization, comfort, and safety for the participants, as well as to create conditions for a meaningful dialogue in the emerging multipolar system." Representatives of the Russian Foreign Ministry, led by Deputy Minister Andrey Rudenko, informed about the preparation of a substantive agenda for the summit and final documents. According to Rudenko, "it is planned to sign a final declaration that will confirm the legal basis of the partnership between Russia and ASEAN, which has been developing for 35 years," as well as joint statements on global and regional security issues, sustainable development, and the formulation of solutions in the face of modern challenges. The structure of the plenary session of the summit and the preparation of the Russia – ASEAN business forum were also discussed during the meeting. The operator is the Roscongress Foundation, a socially oriented non-financial development institution established in 2007 by the decision of the President of the Russian Federation. The foundation annually gathers participants from 209 countries and territories, with more than 15,000 media representatives working at its venues. Roscongress interacts with UN structures, develops cooperation with 239 foreign economic partners in 90 countries, with 368 Russian public organizations, and with more than 1,000 foreign media from 128 countries. Kazan has repeatedly proven its ability to host world-class events—from the Universiade to BRICS and SCO summits. The upcoming Russia – ASEAN summit will be yet another confirmation of this status.