REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, TOLMACHEVO -- President Joko Widodo made a stopover at the Tolmachevo airport in Russia on Wednesday on his way to Sochi to attend the ASEAN-Russia summit.
He was accompanied by a number of state officials, including Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Darmin Nasution, Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, Trade Minister Thomas Lembong, head of presidential staff Teten Masduki and special staff for communication, Johan Budi.
Aboard his presidential aircraft, "Indonesia Satu," he took off from Seoul's airport in Seongnam, South Korea, at 07.45 am local time.
It took four and a half hours of flight from Seoul to Tolmachevo in Novosibirsk where he stopped over for an hour for logistics replenishment. President Joko Widodo was welcomed by Novosibirsk governor and several security officials of the region on arrival.
He and his entourage then proceeded to Sochi where he would meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the meeting being the first on his agenda upon arrival in the city.
Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said the meeting would last for about two hours and they would be able to discuss cooperation between the two countries in the fields of economy, politics, defense and security.
On Thursday, President Joko Widodo is scheduled to attend the ASEAN-Summit at the Black Sea resort to discuss economic and political cooperation as well as regional security architecture.
Retno said Russia would try to bring a number of regional organizations which are found around the country close to ASEAN.
President Joko Widodo had paid a state visit to South Korea from May 15-18, meeting South Korean president Park Geun-hye and a number of business leaders.
During the visit, investment and business cooperation deals worth US$18 billion were reached, while several opportunities for cooperation in the creative economy were also explored.
President Joko Widodo is scheduled to return home on Friday and arrive at Jakarta's Halim Perdanakusuma airport at 11am on May 21.
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