Việtnam, Russia Agree to Deepen Comprehensive Strategic Partnership

Moscow, The Gulf Observer: Deputy Foreign Minister of Việtnam Lê Thị Thu Hằng and her Russian counterpart Andrey Rudenko have agreed on measures to further deepen the Việtnam–Russia comprehensive strategic partnership during a deputy foreign ministerial-level political consultation held in Moscow.

The consultation was conducted as part of the cooperation plan between the foreign ministries of the two countries. The two sides reviewed the development of bilateral relations since their previous consultation in Hànội in February 2025 and discussed specific measures to overcome challenges and promote cooperation between Việtnam and Russia.

They agreed to closely coordinate preparations for high-level delegation exchanges, particularly those planned for the remaining months of 2026.

Welcoming the Vietnamese delegation, Rudenko described Việtnam as a reliable and sincere partner and a priority in Russia’s foreign policy toward the Asia-Pacific region. He expressed confidence that Việtnam would continue making significant progress in pursuing the strategic objectives set by the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Việtnam.

Hằng reaffirmed that Russia has been and will remain one of the most important partners in Việt Nam’s foreign policy. She underscored the Vietnamese people’s appreciation for the valuable support extended by the former Soviet Union and Russia, describing it as a strong foundation for expanding bilateral cooperation in the new era.

She called on the two foreign ministries to strengthen their coordination and monitoring roles and urged relevant ministries and sectors to effectively implement agreements reached by the two countries’ senior leadership, thereby creating new milestones in bilateral relations.

The two sides noted substantive progress and positive developments in bilateral cooperation in recent years. Political relations have been strengthened through the implementation of commitments reached during visits to Russia by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam Central Committee Tô Lâm in May 2025, then Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính in March 2026, and Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng in June 2026.

Economic and trade cooperation has also maintained positive momentum, with the two deputy ministers stressing the need to make more effective use of the Free Trade Agreement between Việtnam and the Eurasian Economic Union to expand investment and facilitate balanced and sustainable market access for products from both countries.

The two sides also welcomed the expansion of traditional energy cooperation into new, green and sustainable energy sectors involving advanced technologies.

Education, culture and people-to-people exchanges were highlighted as important areas of bilateral cooperation. Under the Việtnam–Russia Year of Scientific and Educational Cooperation 2026, more than 100 activities have been planned. The number of Vietnamese applicants seeking to pursue studies in Russia also continued to increase in 2025.

Both sides supported the organisation of a “Russian Cultural Season in Việtnam” in 2027 and pledged to facilitate the teaching of the Vietnamese language in Russia and the Russian language in Việtnam. They said such initiatives would contribute to greater mutual understanding and help younger generations gain a deeper appreciation of the traditions of both countries.

At international forums, Việtnam and Russia underscored the importance of strengthening exchanges of views, coordination and mutual support within international organisations, particularly the United Nations, amid rapid changes in the global environment.

The two sides expressed their shared view that enhanced coordination would contribute to peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region and around the world.

The two deputy foreign ministers reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining the political consultation mechanism effectively and further advancing the Việtnam–Russia comprehensive strategic partnership in a substantive, practical and effective manner.