Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, on 17 June 2026, delivered opening remarks at the ASEAN–Russia Business Forum 2026, held on the sidelines of the ASEAN–Russia Summit, in Kazan, Russia. In his remarks, he highlighted the complementary strengths of ASEAN and Russia and underscored opportunities to deepen economic cooperation in areas such as energy security, food security, supply chain connectivity, manufacturing, and digital transformation, among others. He also encouraged stronger business-to-business engagements and investment partnerships to support resilient, diversified, and sustainable growth across both regions.