Prabowo Subianto, Indonesia’s Minister of Defense and President-elect for the 2024-2029 term, recently embarked on an official tour of Europe from July 24 to 31, 2024.
During his tour, Prabowo held meetings with leaders from four different countries: French President Emmanuel Macron, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Each visit was met with warm receptions and farewells from the respective leaders.
In France, Prabowo met with President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace on July 24. They discussed global security issues and plans to enhance defense cooperation, including modernizing defense equipment and improving education and training.
Prabowo also attended the opening of the Paris 2024 Olympics on behalf of President Joko Widodo, where he met with FIFA President Gianni Infantino to discuss Indonesia’s football initiatives. Additionally, he met with International Olympics Committee President Thomas Bach to discuss the potential for Indonesia to host the 2036 Olympics.
In Serbia, Prabowo met with President Aleksandar Vucic on July 29 to strengthen political dialogue and promote economic cooperation. Vucic expressed enthusiasm for more cooperation between Serbia and Indonesia.
Prabowo then traveled to Turkey to meet with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, where they discussed defense commitments and bilateral relations. Prabowo also met with Turkish Defense Minister Yaşar Güler and Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan to further discuss defense and geopolitical situations.
The final stop of Prabowo’s tour was in Russia, where he met with President Vladimir Putin on July 31. They discussed cooperation in various fields such as education, tourism, food security, and defense. Prabowo also mentioned potential collaborations in nuclear energy and invited Russia to attend a defense exhibition in Indonesia in November 2024.