At a diplomatic reception in Kyiv marking the 80th anniversary of Indonesia’s independence, the Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to Ukraine, Arif Muhammad Basalama, announced the deepening of bilateral relations and reaffirmed Indonesia’s commitment to the principles of international law, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Ukraine. He expressed hope for the speedy establishment of peace in Ukraine.
According to the diplomat, 2025 will mark the 33rd anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. In the political sphere, key milestones were the visit of President Joko Widodo to Kyiv in 2022 and the meeting between President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and then-President-elect of Indonesia Prabowo Subianto in 2023. In February 2025, Indonesia supported the UN General Assembly resolution on a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace for Ukraine.
The economy is showing upward momentum: in 2024, bilateral trade reached $785.1 million (+43.3% y/y), and over the past five years, the trade surplus has grown by 11.23%. The parties are expanding cooperation in investment and joint production: in 2024, 426 projects of Ukrainian FDI in Indonesia worth $32.5 million were registered. The main commodity flows include palm oil, margarine, coffee, and Ukrainian grain as an important component of global food security.
Cooperation is also developing in the humanitarian and educational spheres. In 2025, it is planned to open an Indonesian Studies Center at the Nezhin State University named after N. V. Gogol and sign a number of documents between universities in Indonesia and Ukraine (including the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, the National Academy of Culture and Arts Management, Podolsk State University), as well as exchanges in the media and science.
The ambassador recalled the internal priorities of the new administration in Jakarta—the launch of the Free Nutritious Meals program (free nutritious meals for children) and the creation of the Danantara Sovereign Wealth Fund to attract long-term investment in infrastructure, renewable energy, technology, agriculture, and high value-added industries. These initiatives, he said, reflect the commitment to sustainable and inclusive development that Indonesia brings to its international partnerships.
Diplomatic relations between Ukraine and Indonesia were established on June 11, 1992. The Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Kyiv has been operating since January 1994.
