Sanctions relief: Russian meat supplies may start in Singapore

The trade turnover between Russia and Singapore has increased by 81% since 2022 and amounted to $4.5 billion in 2024, Russian Ambassador to Singapore Nikolai Kudashev told Izvestia. Work is underway on the admission of Russian meat products to the Singapore market, he noted. The parties hold regular political consultations, as well as interact on international platforms. Singapore is the only ASEAN country that has imposed sanctions against Russia, and a change in the republic's position will strengthen Russia's position in the region. The prospects for restoring cooperation with Singapore are described in the Izvestia article.

How are relations between Russia and Singapore developing?

The trade turnover between Russia and Singapore has increased by 81% since 2022 and amounted to $4.5 billion in 2024, Russian Ambassador Nikolai Kudashev told Izvestia. The main driver of the increase in trade volumes was the growth of Russian exports by 90% since 2022. Russian companies regularly conduct business missions in Singapore, and local business circles actively participate in negotiations with Russian business structures, the diplomat stressed.

— We see prospects and interest from local organizations in developing cooperation in the fields of finance (including digital financial assets), robotics, additive and information technologies, and cybersecurity. Food supplies are a promising area, as 95% of the food consumed here is imported. For example, we are working on the admission of Russian meat products to the Singapore market, including the mutual recognition of certificates for halal products," the diplomat noted.

Singapore joined the anti-Russian sanctions, unlike other ASEAN countries, which adhere to a more balanced approach to the Ukrainian conflict. In particular, in 2022, the country banned its financial institutions from conducting transactions and establishing business relationships with four Russian banks. In response, Moscow added Singapore to the list of unfriendly states.

Singapore's pro-Ukrainian position is due to its close ties with the United States, which, for example, provides the country with an overwhelming number of weapons and equipment and has access to naval bases and airfields on its territory.

However, Russia and Singapore have managed to maintain channels for constructive joint work in a number of mutually beneficial areas, both in a bilateral format and on multilateral platforms, Nikolai Kudashev emphasized.

— We regularly exchange views on topical issues of Russian-Singaporean relations and regional issues within the framework of the mechanism of inter-ministerial consultations. Last year, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Andrey Rudenko held talks in Singapore with Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Singapore Albert Chua. A regular meeting of the two deputy ministers in Moscow is scheduled for April," the diplomat said.

The parties are also cooperating at the United Nations, where Singapore joined as a co-sponsor of the General Assembly resolution initiated by Russia on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. The two countries' delegations participate in each other's major international forums. The intention to continue the dialogue gives hope for the return of bilateral cooperation to normal, said the Russian Ambassador to Singapore.

— As far as we know, there is no question of the republic's review of sanctions. The country's leadership remains on the same anti-Russian positions on this issue. Nevertheless, the Singaporeans' commitment to continuing dialogue with us in certain areas seems to give hope that in the foreseeable future, prerequisites may form for the return of the entire range of bilateral cooperation to normal," Kudashev stressed.

It is important that the Russian Federation and Singapore develop cooperation in the humanitarian fields. Russian is taught in the leading universities of the city-state, and Singaporean students go to internships and study in Russia. The construction of a Russian cultural center in a complex with an Orthodox church is also continuing. A separate track of cooperation with Singapore has been built for the Russian regions, primarily Moscow and Tatarstan.

Why relations with Singapore are important for Russia

The state of the dialogue between Russia and Singapore affects cooperation with ASEAN as a whole, the Russian ambassador stressed to Izvestia. It was in Singapore that, during the third Russia–ASEAN summit in 2018, a joint statement on the strategic partnership between Russia and the association was approved, which gave a new impetus to relations with the association.

— Singapore's well–known anti-Russian position also affects our cooperation in the Russia-ASEAN dimension, where we face attempts by the city-state to politicize and Ukrainize our dialogue with the "ten". Nevertheless, there is progress in certain areas, such as digitalization and cultural and humanitarian exchanges, which is being shaped by the pan-Asian spirit and consensus," the diplomat noted.

Continued cooperation in trade, investment, new technologies and education is beneficial for both countries. It was with Singapore that the EAEU was actively negotiating an investment agreement, this is a new experience of this kind of cooperation for the EAEU, Ekaterina Koldunova, director of the MGIMO ASEAN Center, noted in an interview with Izvestia.

Earlier, the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation reported that Moscow is working on a bilateral agreement on trade in services and investments with Singapore. It is necessary for the entry into force of the general agreement between Singapore and the EAEU on a free trade area — it was signed in 2019. But the process of ratifying the FTA agreement may take years, given that the state is on the unfriendly list. In addition, not all members of the Eurasian Five have signed relevant bilateral documents with the country.

According to the Central Bank of the Russian Federation, Singapore's direct investments in Russia amounted to $4.6 billion in 2019. Singapore's total investment in Russia in 2020 reached $20 billion. In addition to trade, cooperation in the field of infrastructure was actively developing, especially in terms of Singapore's participation in the development of Russian regional airports and logistics, Ekaterina Koldunova said.

Russia is deepening relations with ASEAN members, and in 2024 the trade turnover with this association reached a historic high. In January 2024, Russia received the status of an ASEAN digital partner, which is designed to help expand core cooperation and promote modern Russian solutions in the field of digital economy, e-government, and public administration services in the region.

ASEAN's cooperation with the EAEU and BRICS has been strengthening, with Indonesia becoming a member, and Malaysia and Thailand joining the ranks of partner states. ASEAN members, with the exception of Singapore, take a balanced position towards Russia. The gradual restoration of relations with one of the "Asian tigers" and the second country in terms of GDP per capita will strengthen Russia's position in the region.

ASEAN is one of the pillars of the new multipolar order, says Kirill Kotkov, an orientalist and head of the Center for the Study of the Countries of the Far East at MAIS St. Petersburg. Therefore, building relations with Singapore is important for strengthening the dialogue with the association as a whole.

— This is a large association, these are all the countries of Southeast Asia, except East Timor. These are large populations, developing economies, and countries that are historically friendly to Russia, such as Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia. We have good relations with Thailand now, and we have good relations with Indonesia, too," the expert added.

At the same time, Singapore is considered to be the most developed country in the region. But it's important to understand that it doesn't actually produce anything. This is a kind of transshipment point and hub, which is located in a strategically important location: the Strait of Malacca cannot be bypassed in any way when shipping goods from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific Ocean or vice versa.

According to Kirill Kotkov, relations with Singapore will develop strictly along the lines of how Russia's dialogue with the United States will develop. If there is a warming of relations between Moscow and Washington, Singapore will immediately lift restrictions, the expert is sure.