Special-edition stamps featuring the newly inaugurated President of the Republic of Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto, have been issued by the Ukrainian government this November.
The stamps were issued by Ukraine’s national postal service, Ukroposhta. According to the Ukrainian Ambassador to Indonesia, Vasyl Hamianin, the idea originated from a non-governmental organisation called The Ukrainian Initiative, chaired by Yurii Kosenko, an Indonesia enthusiast.
“The idea came from a group of Ukrainians who have an affinity for Indonesia. They decided to create the stamp,” said Hamianin to the press on Saturday, 9th of November.
Hamianin further explained that the stamp was designed to show Ukraine’s respect and admiration for Indonesia. Additionally, it is intended to welcome Prabowo Subianto as Indonesia’s new president. With this new leadership, the Ukrainian government hopes that bilateral relations between the two countries will grow stronger.
“The stamp is dedicated to the inauguration of the President of Indonesia,” he continued. “And through the issuance of stamps with Subianto’s image, Ukrainians hope to strengthen the relationship between Indonesia and Ukraine.”
The Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Kyiv, Ukraine, shared an image of the special-edition stamp on its official Instagram page. The stamp features a portrait of Subianto with the Indonesian flag in the upper right corner, set against a grey background.
The embassy captioned the post: “The National Postal Agency of Ukraine, Ukrposhta, at the suggestion of the non-governmental organisation The Ukrainian Initiative, has released a stamp featuring President Prabowo Subianto. This is a gesture of respect in welcoming the inauguration of the 8th President of the Republic of Indonesia. May diplomatic relations between Indonesia and Ukraine continue to grow closer and mutually beneficial in the future.”
Indonesia has a relatively unique relationship with Ukraine, particularly during the latter’s war with Russia. Subianto’s predecessor, Joko Widodo, was the first Asian leader to visit Ukraine after the onset of the conflict in June 2022.