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| Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang__Photo: VNA |
The state visit to Russia by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam, his spouse and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation from September 7 is expected to set out a long-term vision and create fresh political momentum to elevate bilateral ties comprehensively in the new period.
The visit, made at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin, holds historical significance, as it has been the first state visit to Russia by Vietnam’s Party and State leader since 1991, according to Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang. It will provide an opportunity for the two countries’ top leaders to hold in-depth discussions on strategic issues.
Russian Ambassador to Vietnam Gennady Bezdetko said Russia regards the visit as an important milestone in the development of the Vietnam-Russia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. He expressed his hope that the two sides will engage in substantive discussions on the entire bilateral agenda, agree on new long-term areas of cooperation and make concrete decisions to further strengthen bilateral ties.
According to Nguyen Dang Phat, Vice President and Secretary General of the Vietnam-Russia Friendship Association, exchanges at the highest level play a pivotal role in bilateral diplomacy. With the two countries enjoying deep political trust, high mutual confidence and a strong historical tradition, he expressed his belief that the visit will deliver substantive results.
The visit is also a vivid manifestation of Vietnam’s consistent foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, self-strengthening, peace, friendship, cooperation and development, and diversification and multilateralisation of external relations.
In an interview with Russia’s TASS news agency ahead of the visit, General Secretary and President Lam reaffirmed that the Vietnam-Russia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership remains one of the top priorities and a strategic choice in Vietnam’s foreign policy.
The partnership is underpinned by a strong historical foundation and profound bonds forged over more than 75 years. Vietnam has always cherished the invaluable support provided by the Soviet Union, including Russia, during its past struggles for national independence and subsequent national reconstruction, development and international integration, he said.
Building on this foundation, the two countries have maintained frank and open exchanges on strategic issues based on mutual respect, understanding and consideration of each other’s legitimate interests. Entering a new era, they are seeking to translate this longstanding goodwill into substantive and strategic cooperation, particularly in energy, oil and gas, defence-security and the peaceful use of atomic energy.
Hang expected the visit to generate breakthroughs in traditional pillars of cooperation, especially oil and gas and energy, including nuclear power, while making economic, trade and investment ties and infrastructure connectivity new drivers of bilateral relations.
Science, technology and innovation are also emerging as strategic priorities. The two countries have designated 2026 as the Year of Science and Education Cooperation, while continuing joint research in marine science, ecology, climate change, biomedicine and materials science. Cooperation is also expanding into high-tech fields such as artificial intelligence, information security, smart cities and digital solutions for industry and transport.
Education remains an important bridge between the two peoples. Building on the Soviet Union’s training of nearly 40,000 Vietnamese officials, Russia continues to provide 1,000 state-funded scholarships annually to Vietnamese students.
Cultural and people-to-people exchanges further reinforce bilateral ties. Following the resumption of direct flights, tourism has recovered strongly, with Vietnam welcoming 742,000 Russian visitors in the first six months of 2026, 2.8 times higher than the same period last year.
With careful preparations and strong political determination, the top leader’s state visit is expected to open a new chapter in the Vietnam-Russia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, contributing to prosperity, peace and stability in the region and the world.- (VNA/VLLF)
