Indonesian Ambassador in Ukraine: Bilateral trade rose to $785.1m; Jakarta backed UNGA resolution on a just and lasting peace for Ukraine
Indonesian Ambassador to Ukraine Arief Muhammad Basalamah expressed hope for peace in Ukraine as soon as possible, said bilateral ties are deepening and reaffirmed Indonesia’s commitment to international law, sovereignty and Ukraine’s territorial integrity at a diplomatic reception in Kyiv marking the 80th anniversary of Indonesia’s independence.
According to the ambassador, 2025 marks 33 years since diplomatic relations were established. Key political milestones include President Joko Widodo’s visit to Kyiv in 2022 and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s meeting with then president-elect Prabowo Subianto in 2023. In February 2025, Indonesia voted in favor of the UN General Assembly resolution calling for a comprehensive, just and lasting peace for Ukraine.
Economic ties have strengthened: in 2024, two-way trade reached $785.1 million (+43.3% y/y), while over the past five years the trade balance improved by 11.23%. Investment and co-production are expanding: in 2024, 426 Ukrainian FDI projects in Indonesia were registered totaling $32.5 million. Key trade flows include palm oil, margarine, coffee, and Ukrainian grain, an important element of global food security.
Cooperation is also growing in humanitarian and education spheres. In 2025, the Indonesian Studies Center is scheduled to open at Nizhyn Gogol State University, alongside new agreements between Indonesian and Ukrainian universities (including the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, the National Academy of Managerial Staff of Culture and Arts, and Podillia State University), as well as exchanges in media and science.
The ambassador highlighted domestic priorities of the new administration in Jakarta — the Free Nutritious Meals program for children and the Danantara Sovereign Wealth Fund to attract long-term investment into infrastructure, renewables, technology, agriculture and higher value-added sectors — as evidence of Indonesia’s focus on sustainable and inclusive development in both domestic and international partnerships.
Background. Diplomatic relations between Ukraine and Indonesia were established on 11 June 1992. The Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Kyiv has been operating since January 1994.
