President Putin to visit Vietnam

This marks Putin's first visit to Vietnam in over a decade, as confirmed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

On June 16, Party Chief Nguyen Phu Trong and President To Lam exchanged congratulatory messages with President Putin to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Treaty on Principles of Friendly Relations between Vietnam and Russia. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh also exchanged messages with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.

The leaders emphasized the treaty's significance, calling it a milestone that greatly strengthened the Vietnam-Russia relationship and laid the foundation for advancing their ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

President of Russia Vladimir Putin at a meeting in Moscow in December 2023. Photo by AFP

Putin, born on October 7, 1952, in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg), previously served in the KGB before being appointed Prime Minister and then President by Boris Yeltsin in December 1999. For the past 25 years, Putin has served as either President or Prime Minister, guiding Russia through significant changes.

Vietnam and Russia established diplomatic relations in 1950 and elevated their ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2012. In recent developments, Dmitry Medvedev, Chairman of the United Russia Party and Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, visited Vietnam in May 2023, followed by the State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin in October.

As of April, Russia has invested $984.98 million in 186 projects in Vietnam, making it the 28th largest investor out of 145 countries and territories. Vietnam, in turn, has invested $1.63 billion in 18 projects in Russia, focusing on sectors like oil and gas, agriculture, and manufacturing, according to the Ministry of Planning and Investment.

Trade between Vietnam and Russia reached $3.63 billion in 2023, a 2.3% increase from the previous year. Russia has also offered 1,000 scholarships to Vietnamese students in 2023, with approximately 5,000 Vietnamese students currently studying in Russia. The Vietnamese community in Russia numbers between 60,000 and 80,000 people.