Vietnam welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin with a 21-gun salute and a top leader pledged to strengthen ties with Moscow.
According to Reuters, Vietnamese President To Lam congratulated Putin on his re-election and praised Russia’s achievements during a meeting in Hanoi.
Once again, congratulations to our comrade for receiving overwhelming support during the recent presidential election, underlining the confidence of the Russian people.
In response, Putin stated that strengthening a comprehensive strategic partnership with Vietnam was one of Russia’s priorities. He also noted that Hanoi played an active role in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The Russian leader, who arrived early Thursday morning, is on the last stop of his Asia tour after concluding a defence pact with North Korea.
However, Vietnam’s hosting of Putin sparked criticism from the United States. The US, which improved diplomatic relations with Hanoi last year, is Vietnam’s main export market. The United States Embassy also declared earlier this week that no country should provide Putin with a platform to spread Russia’s stance on the war in Ukraine.
Vietnam is the third country Putin has visited, after China and North Korea, since his re-election as Russia’s president in May.
