Prabowo Explains The Reason For Not Attending The G7 Summit

President Prabowo Subianto while attending the 2025 Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) in St. Petersburg, Russia/PHOTO via Instagram @prabowo

JAKARTA President Prabowo Subianto explained his reasons for not attending the G7 Summit in Canada on June 15-17, 2025, then decided to attend the 2025 Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Presiden Prabowo menegaskan dirinya tidak menghadiri KTT G7 bukan karena tidak menghormati G7, yang pada pertemuan kali ini dipimpin oleh Kanada.

"I was asked why I didn't attend the G7 (KTT), but I attended the Saint Petersburg Forum 2025, it was not because I did not respect the G7, but that I had committed to attending this forum before they (G7) invited me," President Prabowo said during a speech at the SPIEF 2025 panel session at ExpoForum, St. Petersburg, Russia, Friday, June 20, reported by ANTARA.

"That's my only reason," continued President Prabowo, who was then greeted with loud applause from the forum participants.

In the same speech, the President also asked political observers not to associate his presence at SPIEF in St. Petersburg, Russia, with certain political attitudes.

The President emphasized that Indonesia's foreign political line is non-stop and active free.

"Indonesia has always been non-stopping, we respect all countries. Indonesia's foreign policy is very simple, one phrase, too few friends, one enemy too many. We want to be friends with all," said the President, who was greeted again with loud applause.

President Putin, who listened to President Prabowo's speech, also applauded after hearing the statement of Indonesian President Prabowo.

"Only with friendship, collaboration, we can realize prosperity," said President Prabowo.

President Prabowo attended the 2025 Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum in St. Petersburg, Friday, to fulfill a special invitation from President Putin.

In the economic forum, often referred to as Russia's DAvos, President Prabowo was one of the mainnote speakers, who addressed the same panel session as President Putin, Prince Nasser bin Hamad Al-Khalifa of Bahrain, Deputy Chinese Prime Minister Ding Xuexiang, and South African Vice President Paul Mashatile.

The panel session at SPIEF 2025 is President Prabowo's last agenda on his overseas visit to St. Petersburg, Russia, on June 18, 2025.