The president of Russia, Vladimir Putinsigned several agreements on Thursday with his Vietnamese counterpart, To Lamduring an official visit as part of Moscow’s efforts to strengthen its ties in Asia to compensate for the growing international isolation due to its military actions in Ukraine.
The two signed agreements to increase cooperation in education, science and technology, oil and gas exploration and health. They also agreed to work on a plan to open a nuclear science and technology center in Vietnam.
After the talks, Putin said that the two countries share an interest in “develop a reliable security architecture” in the Asia-Pacific region based on not using force and resolving disputes peacefully, without space for “closed political-military blocs.”
The new president of Vietnam congratulated Putin on his re-election and praised Russia’s “national political stability.”
Putin arrived from North Korea on Thursday, where he signed an agreement with the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, in which they promised to help each other in the event of war. The strategic pact could represent the strongest connection between the two since the Cold War, while they face growing disputes with the West.
Putin drove to the Vietnamese Presidential Palace on Thursday afternoon, where he was greeted by schoolchildren waving Vietnam flags. Russia and Vietnam. There she shook hands with Lam and hugged him before a bilateral summit and joint news conference.
Later he met with the Prime Minister, Pham Minh Chinhand had planned a meeting with the general secretary of the Communist Party, Nguyen Phu Trong — the most powerful politician in the country — and the president of the assembly, Tran Thanh Man.
Russia wants to maintain “close and effective cooperation” in energy, industry, technology, education, security and trade, the Russian ambassador to Vietnam, Gennady S. Bezdetko, indicated on Wednesday, according to official Vietnamese media.
The trip received harsh criticism from the American embassy in the country.
Many things have changed since Putin’s last visit to Vietnam in 2017. Russia now faces a series of sanctions led by the United States for its invasion of Ukraine. The International Criminal Court in The Hague issued an arrest warrant against Putin in 2023 for war crimes. The Kremlin called the order “null and void” and stressed that Moscow does not recognize the court’s jurisdiction.
Putin’s recent visits to China and now to North Korea and Vietnam are attempts to “break international isolation”said Nguyen Khac Gianganalyst at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore.
The United States and its allies have expressed Growing concerns over possible arms deal in which Pyongyang supplies Moscow with ammunition it urgently needs to use them in Ukraine in exchange for economic assistance and technology transfers that could increase the threat posed by Kim’s nuclear weapons and missile program.
Both countries deny accusations of arms transferswhich would violate several United Nations Security Council sanctions that Russia supported in the past.
For its part, Russia is important to Vietnam for two reasonsGiang indicated: it is the largest supplier of military equipment for the Southeast Asian country and the Russian oil exploration technology helps maintain their sovereignty claims in the disputed South China Sea.
“Russia is sending the message that it is not isolated in Asia despite the Ukraine war, and Vietnam reinforces a key traditional relationship while diversifying ties with newer partners,” said Prashanth Parameswaran, an expert with the Center’s Asia Program. Wilson.
(With information from AP)
