Vladimir Putin and Vietnamese President To Lam signed a joint statement after their meeting in the Kremlin, aimed at strengthening interaction between the countries. The Russian leader announced this during a briefing with media representatives.
Putin noted that the sides identified key areas for further development of the partnership, and the talks themselves were constructive and filled with useful agreements. He stressed that Moscow and Hanoi are strategic allies building relations on the principles of equality, mutual respect, and consideration of each other's interests.
The head of state also pointed out that Russia and Vietnam jointly counter the negative impact of the global political situation on bilateral trade. To this end, the countries are switching to settlements in national currencies and creating sustainable mechanisms for credit and banking cooperation.
In addition, the Russian side is working on introducing a visa-free regime for Vietnamese citizens. Cooperation in the humanitarian sphere is actively developing: currently, more than three thousand Vietnamese students are studying at Russian universities, and over the entire period, more than 75 thousand citizens of that country have undergone training and advanced training.
The Vietnamese leader arrived in Moscow on a state visit, and the talks were held in a narrow format. The main attention was paid to trade, economic, scientific, and educational ties, humanitarian exchanges, security and defense issues, as well as current international and regional topics.
In addition, Putin and To Lam, via video conference, opened a laboratory for the study and prevention of infectious diseases in Hanoi. The center, on the basis of which the laboratory will operate, was established in 1988 and is considered a unique object of scientific and technical cooperation between the two countries.
Source: RIA Novosti