Depok, Indonesia — The Indonesian Institute for Foreign Affairs at the Faculty of Social Sciences (FOSS), Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia (UIII), recently hosted a distinguished lecture by Kirill Babaev, offering insights into the evolving relationship between Indonesia and Russia, as well as broader dynamics in the global order.

In his presentation, Professor Babaev emphasized the long-standing ties between the two countries, noting that Russia—through the former Soviet Union—played a significant role in supporting Indonesia during its early years as an independent state. This support included financial assistance, as well as military equipment and ammunition, particularly during the period of post-independence consolidation under Sukarno.

Beyond historical relations, Professor Babaev addressed contemporary global challenges. He underscored the importance of maintaining an international order that prevents unilateral military actions, referring to recent conflicts involving major powers as violations of global norms and detrimental to the interests of the Global South.

A key theme of the lecture was the need for greater systemic independence in global governance. According to Babaev, the current international system remains heavily influenced by Western dominance across several sectors, including:

Financial and monetary systems, particularly through the global role of the US dollar and institutions such as SWIFT;
International trade structures, which he argued tend to favor developed economies;

The lecture forms part of FOSS UIII’s ongoing efforts to foster global dialogue and deepen understanding of international political and economic developments.