Russian President Vladimir Putin announced plans to assist in the development of the nuclear industry, including establishing a nuclear science and technology center in Vietnam during his visit to the country.
After concluding his visit to North Korea, President Putin arrived in Vietnam early on the 20th (local time) to begin a state visit schedule. First, he will attend a welcoming ceremony hosted by General Secretary To Lam at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi. Following this, he is scheduled to meet with Nguyen Phu Trong, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam who invited him, as well as Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man, and other top four leaders in Vietnam's power hierarchy.
There is a high possibility of significant agreements in the energy sector, including nuclear power, during this visit. Prior to the visit, in a column published in Nhan Dan, the official newspaper of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Putin revealed that with support from Rosatom, Russia's state nuclear power company, they are "considering establishing a nuclear science and technology center in Vietnam." He further stated that energy is a "strategically important area of cooperation between the two countries," and that Russian energy company Novatek plans to "initiate a liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in Vietnam."
Gennady Bezdetko, Russian Ambassador to Vietnam, also told the state-run Vietnam News Agency (VNA) in an interview that Russia is ready to provide Vietnam with cutting-edge, reliable, and stable technology in the fields of nuclear power and other clean energy sectors.
President Putin and Vietnamese leaders will discuss further development of bilateral relations in trade, economy, science, technology, and humanitarian fields. They plan to adopt a joint statement reaffirming the principles of the comprehensive strategic partnership and sign several bilateral documents. Yuri Ushakov, Kremlin foreign policy advisor, stated on the 17th that "(the two countries) will sign multiple agreements in various fields," adding that "about 20 agreements are currently being prepared."
This visit marks President Putin's fifth visit to Vietnam and his second state visit since 2013. Vietnam is the third country he has visited following the start of his fifth presidential term last month, after China and North Korea.
His visit to Vietnam aims to reaffirm support from a few existing allies such as North Korea and Vietnam amid international isolation following the invasion of Ukraine. From Vietnam's perspective, under the diplomatic policy of "Bamboo Diplomacy," which seeks to maintain close relations with all major countries worldwide, Putin's visit is expected to be an opportunity to strengthen cooperation with Russia, a traditional ally.
Historically, Vietnam has mainly procured weapons from Russia after successive wars with France, the United States, and China. Therefore, there is keen interest in whether any agreements related to military cooperation will be reached during this visit.
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