Free trade zone deal with Indonesia expected before year-end amid higher U.S. tariffs - Russian first deputy PM

JAKARTA. April 14 (Interfax) - The Russian authorities are expecting the process of signing a deal on a free trade zone between the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and Indonesia to speed up amid the United States' decision to boost tariffs for its foreign trade partners, Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov told reporters on the sidelines of the Russia-Indonesia Business Forum.

"The talks are in progress, and I hope the agreement will be signed before the end of this year," he said.

"You know about the United States' initiative to considerably increase foreign trade tariffs, it may give an additional impetus to speed up the signing of the deal," Manturov said.

The Supreme Eurasian Economic Council decided to start talks with Indonesia in May 2022. Several rounds of talks took place in 2023-2024. In early 2025, Russian Deputy Economic Development Minister Vladimir Ilyichev said in an interview with Interfax that the EAEU faces a task within talks with Indonesia "to sign an agreement on free trade in goods in 2025, or to at least complete the talks."