Vietnamese Party Chief Tô Lâm Meets Russian Federation Council Speaker in Moscow

Moscow, The Gulf Observer: General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee Tô Lâm met with Speaker of the Russian Federation Council Valentina Matviyenko on Friday afternoon in Moscow, as part of his official visit to Russia and participation in the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the Victory of the Great Patriotic War.

During the meeting, Matviyenko welcomed Tô Lâm’s visit, highlighting its significance amid a series of milestone anniversaries for both countries. These include the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Vietnam and Russia, the 80th anniversary of the Victory of the Great Patriotic War, the 50th anniversary of the liberation of southern Vietnam, and the 80th anniversary of Vietnam’s National Day. She also extended congratulations on the 71st anniversary of the historic Điện Biên Phủ Victory, describing it as a testament to the Vietnamese people’s resilience and enduring pursuit of independence and freedom.

The Russian Senate leader expressed satisfaction with the progress of bilateral relations and noted that General Secretary Tô Lâm’s visit would further energize the traditional friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership between the two nations.

In response, General Secretary Tô Lâm affirmed that his visit reflects Vietnam’s deep appreciation for and commitment to its relationship with Russia. He reiterated that the Party, State, and people of Vietnam regard the comprehensive strategic partnership with Russia as one of the top priorities in the country’s foreign policy.

Tô Lâm also praised the important role of the Russian Federation Council in fostering bilateral cooperation, calling for the strengthening of parliamentary ties to ensure the effective implementation of signed agreements.

Speaker Matviyenko emphasized that all political factions within the Federal Assembly of Russia hold positive sentiments towards Vietnam and strongly support the promotion of bilateral cooperation. She pledged continued efforts by the Russian Federation Council to bolster engagement across various sectors, including Party-to-Party relations, economy, trade, science and technology, education and training, security and defense, culture, and people-to-people exchanges.

Matviyenko also expressed delight at recent symbols of friendship between the two nations, including the inauguration of a monument to President Hồ Chí Minh in Saint Petersburg and the naming of a street in Điện Biên Phủ city as Leningrad-Saint Petersburg.

She affirmed that the Federation Council would serve as a bridge to link Vietnamese provinces and cities with Russian localities and support the implementation of cooperation agreements. Furthermore, she voiced readiness to work with the Vietnamese National Assembly in multilateral parliamentary forums to promote peace, stability, and adherence to international law.

Both leaders agreed on the importance of reinforcing exchanges at all levels, particularly between specialized committees and friendship parliamentary groups. They also underscored the need to jointly supervise the execution of bilateral agreements in five key areas: defense and security, energy and oil and gas, science and high technology, human resource training, and infrastructure.

The meeting also addressed the resolution of legal and procedural obstacles to enhance bilateral cooperation, particularly in cultural exchange, tourism, and local partnerships. Support for Vietnamese airlines in launching direct flights between Hanoi and Moscow was also discussed.

In addition, the two sides reiterated the importance of coordination in multilateral forums such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the Asia-Europe Parliamentary Partnership Meeting (ASEP), contributing to regional and global peace and development.

General Secretary Tô Lâm proposed that the Russian Federal Assembly maintain an objective and balanced position and support Vietnam and ASEAN’s stance on the East Sea issue, based on international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

On this occasion, Matviyenko extended her greetings to Vietnamese National Assembly Chairman Trần Thanh Mẫn. General Secretary Tô Lâm, in turn, conveyed Mẫn’s regards and an invitation for the Russian Speaker to visit Vietnam at a convenient time — an invitation Matviyenko gladly accepted.