Vice Minister for ASEAN Affairs Milena Rangel led Timor-Leste’s delegation to the 22nd ASEAN–Russia Senior Officials’ Meeting (ARSOM), held in Kazan, Russia, on April 20th and 21st, 2026. The meeting, held in the context of the 35th anniversary of ASEAN-Russia relations, marked the country’s first participation in this mechanism following its full accession to the regional organisation. 
The meeting was co-chaired by Hau Khan Sum, Myanmar’s Representative to the Senior Officials’ Meetings (SOM Leader), and Andrey Rudenko, Russia’s Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs. Representatives of ASEAN member states, the ASEAN Secretariat, and their respective delegations attended this meeting.
The participants reviewed cooperation under the ASEAN–Russia Comprehensive Action Plan 2021–2025, which is in its final stages of implementation, and discussed the preparation of a new cooperation framework for 2026–2030.
During the meeting, priority areas of the strategic partnership were discussed, including political and security cooperation, trade and investment, energy, food security, cybersecurity, and the fight against transnational crime, as well as cultural, academic, and youth exchanges.
The meeting also provided an opportunity to prepare for the ASEAN–Russia Commemorative Summit, scheduled for June in Kazan, which is expected to set the strategic direction of the partnership for the coming years.