On the evening of June 19 (according to Vietnamese media and the Kremlin’s website), the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, and his delegation consisting of Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, Russian presidential adviser Yuri Ushakov and a number of other senior Russian officials, arrived at Hanoi airport for a state visit.
The reception ceremony was held on June 20 at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi, followed by an extended discussion between the delegations of the two countries. At the end, Vladimir Putin and To Lam, the president of Vietnam, had a one-on-one discussion.
Vietnam congratulates the Russian Federation on the important achievements made over the past two decades under your leadership. We are very pleased that political and social stability in Russia is strengthening, the economy is actively developing, the life of the population is improving, and Russia’s position and authority are steadily growing on the international stage.
TO LAM
The President of Vietnam went on to clarify the country’s position in the context of the transformations taking place in international politics and which have seen steps of rapprochement between Vietnam and the former adversary, the US.
Vietnam pursues an independent, peaceful foreign policy, as well as a diversified and multi-vector policy, but at the same time, we always attach great importance to the development of traditional friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership with Russia. We consider Russia one of the priorities of Vietnam’s foreign policy.
TO LAM
Strengthening a comprehensive strategic partnership with Vietnam is also among Russia’s priorities, President Putin said during that discussion. ”Укрепление всеобъемлющего стратегического партнёрства с Вьетнамом неизменно входит в число наших приоритетов | Strengthening the comprehensive strategic partnership with Vietnam remains one of our priorities.”
Putin’s visit comes as the two countries mark 30 years since the signing of the Treaty on the Principles of Friendly Relations. “During this period we have maintained a regular and substantial political dialogue, including between parliaments, ministries, agencies, parties, regions and social organizations,” Putin said.
The Kremlin noted discussions “on the status and prospects for the further development of a comprehensive strategic partnership between Russia and Vietnam in the commercial, economic, scientific, technological and humanitarian fields, as well as an exchange of views on topical issues in the world and region.”
It should be noted that, according to public information, the US is the main destination for Vietnam’s exports (29.4%), in second place being China (18.6%), followed by South Korea, Japan, Germany, the Netherlands, Thailand, etc. Russia attracted only 0.39% of Vietnam’s exports. Most of the imports are made from China (38.4%), while Russia registered 0.49%. The data mentioned are from 2022, but even in 2020 (before the sanctions), trade relations between Russia and Vietnam were not much better.
Before Putin’s arrival, his article “Russia and Vietnam: Friendship Tested in Time” appeared in the official publication of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam “Nhan Zan”. In the material, Putin expressed gratitude for Vietnam’s “balanced position”.
We are grateful to our Vietnamese friends for their balanced stance on the Ukrainian crisis and for their willingness to help find real ways to resolve it peacefully. All of this is fully consistent with the spirit and nature of our relationships.
VLADIMIR PUTIN
The Russian president has brought back the nuclear energy cooperation between the two countries. This sector was promising a few years ago, but the Vietnamese side chose to withdraw in 2016. The first nuclear power plant was to be Ninh Thuận 1, built by Atomstroiexport, a company that belongs to Rosatom. Just when the works were scheduled to start in 2014, they were postponed (we can already say canceled) on the orders of the then Prime Minister, Nguyễn Tấn Dũng. He motivated his decision by invoking “the need to ensure safety”. The project was financed by an $8 billion loan from the Russian Federation.
It is important to mention that Ninh Thuận 2 was going to be a reactor built by Japan that ended up being an abandoned project.
In 2022, Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien brought back the importance of nuclear energy for Vietnam’s development, which could reopen a door for the Russian Federation, but since then, South Korea and Canada have also expressed interest in participating.
On regional issues, “Russia and Vietnam agree that the Asia-Pacific region needs a reliable security architecture without military blocs,” Putin said.
The discussion on the situation in the Asia-Pacific region showed mutual interest in building a reliable and adequate regional security architecture based on the principles of non-use of force and peaceful settlement of disputes. There will be no room for exclusive political-military blocs.VLADIMIR PUTIN
On international issues, “the positions of Russia and Vietnam on these issues largely coincide or are close to each other,” Putin said.
Our countries are firmly fighting to save the principles of the supremacy of international law, sovereignty and non-intervention in the internal affairs of other states.
VLADIMIR PUTIN
Putin invited To Lam to participate in the parade dedicated to Victory Day (May 9) next year.