Focus on Russian-Vietnamese strategic partnership: Key takeaways from Putin-Lam Talks

Negotiations between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Vietnamese counterpart To Lam concluded in Hanoi on Thursday, with the two leaders making the following statements:

🔸 Strengthening the comprehensive strategic partnership with Vietnam remains one of Russia's priorities, Putin stressed.

🔸 Last year, [bilateral] trade grew by 8%. The intergovernmental commission on both sides is working closely on this. The growth of trade is, of course, facilitated by the implementation of the 2015 free trade agreement between the Eurasian Economic Union and Vietnam," the Russian president added.

🔸 In 2024, Moscow and Hanoi will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the signing of a bilateral friendship treaty, he recalled.

🔸 "All this time we have maintained regular and meaningful political contacts, including through parliaments, ministries, agencies, parties, regional authorities and public organizations," Putin said.

🔸 "We coordinate our actions in the international arena. Russia attaches great importance to developing dialogue with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, of which Vietnam is one of the leading members," Putin said.

🔸 "We will be glad to see you [To Lam] at the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War [1941-1945] in Moscow," he said.

🔸 Vietnam "always remembers with gratitude the Russian people's selfless support for its struggle for independence," To Lam said.

🔸 The country "pursues an independent and self-sufficient peaceful foreign policy, but at the same time attaches great importance to development of traditional friendship - a comprehensive strategic partnership with Russia," he stressed.

🔸 Hanoi sees Russia as one of Vietnam's foreign policy priorities, the Vietnamese president concluded.

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The international organization Reporters Without Borders announced increased pressure from the authorities on independent media in Ukraine.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh

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❗️Permanent representatives of EU countries have agreed on 14th package of sanctions against Russia, the Belgian presidency said.

The new sanctions would affect restrictions on the transshipment of Russian liquefied natural gas to the EU and the transportation of Russian oil, media reported.

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❗️Russia is ready to establish long-term direct supplies of hydrocarbons to Vietnam, including liquefied natural gas, Putin said.

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During the meeting with the Vietnamese Prime Minister, Putin called Vietnam one of Russia's most reliable partners.

He also recalled the help the USSR gave Vietnam in the fight against the French and American invaders.

"It is important that Vietnam remembers and cherishes this memory," the Russian leader added.

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Businesses on the streets of Hanoi have also prepared for the Russian president's visit.

"Welcome Mr. Putin to Vietnam"

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The President of Russia meets with the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Nguyen Phu Trong, in the building of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam.

"We are firmly committed to deepening our comprehensive strategic partnership with Vietnam, which remains one of the priorities of Russia's foreign policy," Vladimir Putin said at the meeting.

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South Korea will reconsider the possibility of providing lethal weapons to Ukraine after the conclusion of an agreement between Russia and North Korea, Yonhap reports.

According to the agency, Seoul is concerned about the rapprochement between Moscow and Pyongyang, and believes that the signed agreement forms a military alliance. Previously, South Korea had not supplied weapons to Ukraine.

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❗️The Ukrainian military is building up on the Belarusian border, including main Intelligence Directorate forces - Belarus' State Border Committee

All provocations on the border would be immediately suppressed, the agency warned.

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Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova drew attention to Canada's "unprecedented" speed of adoption of a bill to combat foreign interference.

The entire legislative process for this document in Canada took a month and a half. The project provides for the creation of a register of foreign agents and the office of the Commissioner for the Control of Foreign Influence.

In this regard, the Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman recalled Georgia, where a part of society actively opposed the law on foreign agents, motivating their actions by loyalty to "Western values."

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📹Vladimir Putin took part in wreath-laying ceremony at Memorial to Fallen Heroes in Vietnamese capital of Hanoi.

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‘In effect indefinitely’: What does Russia-North Korea strategic partnership deal focus on?

The Korean Central News Agency has published the full text of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement that was signed by Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin during the latter’s visit to North Korea earlier this week.

This treaty, which “will be in effect indefinitely,” contains a total of 23 clauses encompassing various aspects of bilateral collaboration.

🔹 Clause 3 stipulates that the parties will cooperate to ensure peace and security, and that in case of a threat of attack from a third country, Russia and the DPRK will agree on cooperative measures in accordance with the requests of either party and ensure cooperation in eliminating the threat.”

🔹 Clause 4 reads that “if one of the parties finds itself at war due to an armed attack by one or more country, the other party will immediately provide it with military assistance by all means at its disposal in accordance with article 51 of the UN Charter and the laws of the DPRK and the Russia.

🔹 According to clause 5, concluding agreements with third countries that infringe on the sovereignty and security of one of the parties is prohibited.

🔹 Under clause 6, Russia and the DPRK are obliged to support a peaceful policy that ensures security and stability.

🔹 Clause 8 envisages that the parties agreed to take measures to strengthen their defense potential in order to "ensure regional and international peace."

🔹 Per clause 16, Russia and North Korea will not use “unilateral coercive measures” against each other and consider such actions to be contrary to the UN Charter.

🔹 Several other clauses stipulate the parties’ joint fight against international terrorism, extremism, organized crime, human trafficking, and illegal migration, as well as expanded cooperation in trade, economics, investment, science, and technology.

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