A top Russian security official and Indonesia’s defense minister have held talks in Jakarta as Moscow’s war on Ukraine entered its fourth year.

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Tempo English compiled the top 3 news on Saturday, March 8, 2025. Here are the highlights: Apple Gets Local Content Certificates in Indonesia, Still Needs More Permits; Russia Launches Major Ukraine Missile Attack After U.S. Cuts Off Military Aid; and South Korea Says Number Injured in Fighter Jet Misfire Rises to 29.

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What Trump has done to Zelenskyy bears similarity to colonial economic arrangements, in which a weaker nation must grant the powerful access to its natural wealth in exchange for protection.

Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu was in Indonesia for talks on Tuesday with President Prabowo Subianto and his defense minister, as Moscow and Jakarta seek to boost defense ties. Southeast Asia's biggest economy maintains a neutral foreign policy,

Nickel and cobalt are often found together in mining. Indonesia, Russia and Australia are among the top producers of nickel. In 2022, Ukraine ranked 69th in cobalt production, exporting just $41,400 worth of the metal. Both cobalt and lithium are essential ...

Russian forces invaded Ukraine in what the Kremlin called "a special military operation". The invasion of Ukraine led major world powers to unite and slap sanctions on Moscow, while handing Kyiv unprecedented levels of aid.

For example, in February 2025, the Indonesian government launched its sovereign wealth fund Danantara, which will (essentially) manage all state-owned assets, with the aim to create a huge investment vehicle that can trigger the multiplier effect for the Indonesian economy by investing in big, game-changing, projects.

When Russia invaded Ukraine three years ago, Southeast Asians scrambled to address the ramifications for food security and gas prices. Before the war, nearly a third of wheat imports were coming from Ukraine. This has fallen by over half, the result of Russia’s targeted destruction of Ukraine’s agricultural production.

"Even while Russia talks about peace, they are continuing their relentless aggression," Starmer said at the meeting.

A top Russian security official and Indonesia’s defense minister have held talks in Jakarta as Moscow’s war on Ukraine entered its fourth year

Outside the EU, the United Kingdom has also been a staunch supporter of Ukraine. Since the full-scale invasion in February 2022, the U.K. has committed $16 billion to Ukraine. It also recently established a 100-year partnership with Ukraine, whereby both countries would look to strengthen their defense and security.