Russian President Vladimir Putin commended Vietnam for its “balanced” approach to the Ukraine conflict in an opinion piece published in the Communist Party’s Nhan Dan newspaper ahead of his state visit. Putin praised Vietnam’s support for a pragmatic resolution to the crisis and highlighted advancements in energy, trade, and payments between the two nations.
Putin’s visit to Hanoi, his first since 2017, follows a trip to North Korea. He acknowledged Vietnam’s neutrality, which has been seen by Western nations as aligning too closely with the Kremlin. Vietnam abstained from condemning Russia’s actions in Ukraine, maintaining a neutral foreign policy.
Putin emphasized the strategic importance of energy cooperation, citing joint ventures in fossil fuels and potential projects by Gazprom and Novatek in Vietnam. He also mentioned the initiative to establish a nuclear science centre in Vietnam with Rosatom’s support, although Vietnam’s plans for nuclear energy remain unclear.
On finance and trade, Putin noted the increase in transactions in roubles and Vietnamese dong, which accounted for 60% of bilateral trade payments in the first quarter of this year, up from 40% last year. He highlighted the Vietnam-Russia Joint Venture Bank’s role in facilitating reliable financial transactions.
Despite progress, Vietnam’s trade with Russia remains limited, with the United States and China being Hanoi’s primary trading partners.
