ASEAN considers granting Ukraine dialogue partner status
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is currently considering Ukraine's application to join the organisation's dialogue partnership. This was announced by ASEAN Secretary-General Dax Imperial in an interview with ABS-CBN News ahead of the association's foreign ministers' meeting, which will take place on 28-29 January in the Philippines.
According to Imperial, discussions on this issue are ongoing, so no final decision has been made yet. He specified that Ukraine's application is planned to be submitted for consideration at a meeting of senior ASEAN officials in the coming weeks, but the further course of the process will depend on the depth and content of the discussions.
The status of dialogue partner provides for cooperation with ASEAN for countries and supranational entities that are not members of the association. Currently, such partners include China, India, the United States, Canada, the European Union, Japan, Australia and Russia.
Ukrainian Ambassador to the Philippines Yulia Fediv previously stated that Kyiv expects to obtain official dialogue partner status before the end of the Philippines' chairmanship of ASEAN in 2026. According to her, Ukraine is interested in expanding its presence in Southeast Asia and deepening cooperation with both the Philippines and other member countries of the organisation.
Among the priority areas for potential cooperation, Ukraine cites trade, energy and cooperation in the field of disaster relief, which is particularly relevant in the context of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine.
ASEAN brings together 10 countries in Southeast Asia, including the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam and Singapore. The main objectives of the association are to promote economic growth, social development, cultural interaction, and to strengthen peace and stability in the region.
ASEAN, Ukraine, Southeast Asia, international cooperation
