Valdai Club

The ASEAN 2025 Summit in Kuala Lumpur has already been dubbed a “historic turning point” by some observers. While this may be an exaggeration, the event was indeed a testament to the vitality of ASEAN, which had been going through difficult times in recent years, write Georgy Toloraya and Elena Pyltsina.

The legal uncertainty surrounding the border conflict destabilises the entire Southeast Asian region, which prides itself on its ability to maintain peace and dialogue through the diplomatic framework of the ASEAN Way. An escalation of the conflict contributes to a rift within ASEAN itself, as the principle of consensus is the cornerstone of the Association's functioning, and a full-scale conflict between its two members paralyses it and prevents effective decision-making on other international issues, which also narrows Russia's room for manoeuvre.