Following the welcome ceremony on September 9 at the Kremlin, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

President Vladimir Putin warmly welcomed Party General Secretary and State President To Lam and the high-ranking Vietnamese delegation on a state visit to Russia, affirming that the visit holds special significance and marks a new milestone in the traditional friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and Russia.

He noted that the visit follows recent high-level exchanges and demonstrates the leaders' determination to usher bilateral ties into a new stage of deeper, more substantive, and more effective development. President Putin reiterated that Vietnam is always a trusted partner and a priority in Russia's policy in the Asia-Pacific region.

The top Vietnamese leader expressed his joy at revisiting the beautiful and hospitable country of Russia, thanked President Vladimir Putin and Russian leaders for the respectful, warm, and amicable reception extended to the high-ranking Vietnamese delegation, and conveyed warm regards and best wishes from Vietnamese leaders and people to President Vladimir Putin and other Russian leaders.  He affirmed that the Party, State, and people of Vietnam always cherish and remember the immense, heartfelt, and effective support and cooperation provided by generations of leaders, especially President Putin and the Russian people during past struggles for national independence and reunification, as well as in the current cause of national construction, defence, and development.

To Lam emphasized that Vietnam and Russia are comprehensive strategic, trusted, natural, and sustainable partners throughout history, supporting each other's independent, self-reliant, and diversified foreign policies.

Vietnam consistently views Russia as an important partner and a top priority in its foreign policy, while repositioning Vietnam-Russia relations toward continuously enhancing cooperation efficiency-a major guideline of the Party and State of Vietnam for both the upcoming term and the new era of development.                

In an atmosphere of friendship, sincerity, trust, and mutual understanding, Party General Secretary and State President To Lam and President Vladimir Putin briefed each other on their respective countries' situations, exchanged extensive views on bilateral relations and regional and international issues of mutual concern, and reviewed the results achieved since Party General Secretary To Lam's official visit to Russia in May 2025 and the implementation of recent high-level agreements.

The two leaders noted with pleasure that the traditional friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and Russia continue to develop positively; political trust is constantly reinforced; high-level and all-tier exchanges and contacts are regularly maintained; and cooperation in economics, trade, investment, energy and oil and gas, defense and security, science and technology, education and training, culture, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges has achieved substantial results.

The two sides discussed and agreed on major orientations to develop and deepen bilateral ties in the new phase. They consented to enhance regular and substantive exchanges at all levels, particularly at the highest level, and to bolster cooperation through party and parliamentary channels.

They reached consensus on implementing drastic measures to enable economic cooperation to play a pioneering role in propelling Vietnam-Russia relations toward greater substance; focus on elevating the role of the Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, and Technological Cooperation; and strive to bring bilateral trade turnover to US$15 billion soon.

Host and guest concurred on encouraging enterprises from both countries to strengthen connections, expand investment, and form new production and supply chains as well as new potential fields, including large-scale industrial food production, animal husbandry, seafood processing, marine economy, processing industry, local consumer goods manufacturing, wood processing, shipbuilding, technical labor, education, and services.

They  affirmed that energy and oil and gas will continue to be vital pillars of the Vietnam-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership while expanding into new energy sectors such as nuclear energy, wind power, and gas-powered electricity.

The two leaders spent time discussing peaceful atomic energy cooperation, assessing it as a field of strategic significance capable of creating a new hallmark for bilateral relations in the new development phase. The Russian President assured his readiness to share experience and technology, support human resource training, and implement cooperation contents in line with Vietnam's needs.

Both sides consented to continue  consolidating  the strategic pillars of defense, security, and military-technical cooperation; coordinating to tackle non-traditional security challenges; combating transnational and high-tech crime; and handling emergency situations.           

The two sides shared the view that in the new development phase, science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation must become a new driving force for the comprehensive strategic partnership. They welcomed the 2026 Vietnam-Russia Year of Education, Science and Technology Exchange and concurred on strengthening connections among research institutes, universities, innovation centers, and technology enterprises.

General Secretary and State President To Lam asked the Russian side to continue facilitating Vietnamese officials, students, and postgraduates in studying and researching foundational sciences and high technologies where Russia holds strengths, while encouraging exchanges between young scientists of the two countries.

Both leaders stressed that education, training, and people-to-people exchanges are of special significance in preserving and promoting the traditional friendship between Vietnam and Russia.

They shared the view on boosting high-quality human resource training, expanding linkages between universities and research institutions, beefing up cultural, artistic, sporting, and tourism cooperation; facilitating travel, study, work, and tourism for citizens of both nations; and intensifying cultural exchanges.

The Vietnamese Party and State leader welcomed President Putin’s positive consideration of visa exemptions for Vietnamese citizens, and asserted that Vietnam stands ready to coordinate the organization of the "Russian Culture Season in Vietnam" in 2027.

The host leader highly appreciated the resounding success of the 2025 Vietnamese Culture Festival held in Red Square and the inauguration of the Russian-Vietnamese Cultural Heritage and Connection Space at the State Institute of Cinematography during the visit, marking the 70th anniversary of the first generation of Vietnamese students arriving to study.

General Secretary and State President To Lam asked Russia to support the extraction of precious archival materials and images concerning the Vietnamese revolution and President Ho Chi Minh as Vietnam builds the Museum of the Communist Party of Vietnam.

To Lam thanked the Russian government and local authorities for their attention and favorable conditions extended to the Vietnamese community living, studying, and working stably in the Russian Federation. He requested continued facilitation for the Vietnamese community to integrate well, make active contributions to Russia's development, and serve as a bridge of friendship between the two nations.   

Regarding regional and international issues, the two leaders underscored the importance of maintaining international peace, security, and stability, while jointly promoting multilateralism and upholding the role of the United Nations, the UN Charter, and fundamental principles of international law. Vietnam supports strengthening relations between Russia and ASEAN for the sake of regional and global peace, stability, cooperation, and development.

To Lam respectfully invited President Putin to pay a state visit to Vietnam and attend the 2027 APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Phu Quoc in November 2027. The Russian President expressed sincere thanks for the invitation, affirmed Russia's support, and pledged to coordinate with Vietnam to contribute to the success of the 2027 APEC Summit.

On this occasion, Russian President Vladimir Putin joined a ceremony presenting the 2026 Lev Tolstoy International Peace Prize to Party General Secretary and State President To Lam at the Kremlin in Moscow on the evening of September 9 (local time).

The award recognizes Party  General Secretary and State President To Lam's great contributions to consolidating peace, enhancing cooperation, and fostering mutual understanding among nations, as well as promoting justice and respect for international law. It also honors his efforts in radiating the peace-loving tradition, humanistic spirit, and culture of dialogue of Vietnam and its people to the global stage.

The Lev Tolstoy International Peace Prize is an international award initiated by Russia and presented to individuals or organisations that have made outstanding contributions to peace, security, cooperation and understanding among peoples.

The Lev Tolstoy International Peace Prize Foundation was established by the Russian Historical Society, the Russian Peace Foundation and the Russian Military Historical Society. The prize honours outstanding achievements in efforts to ensure common security and equality on the basis of international law, prevent the threat of war and nuclear disasters, promote a multipolar and non-violent world, and strengthen understanding, trust, peace and cooperation among peoples.

Upon receiving the award bearing the name of the great writer Lev Tolstoy, General Secretary and State President To Lam asserted that this recognition extends beyond a personal accolade to show  high appreciation for the Vietnamese nation's peace-loving tradition, its independent, self-reliant, peaceful, friendly, cooperative, and developmental foreign policy, as well as Vietnam's active and responsible contributions to regional and global peace, stability, cooperation, and development.

He also affirmed that Vietnam will continue working alongside the international community to promote  dialogue, enhance mutual understanding and trust, and resolve disagreements and disputes through peaceful means on the basis of the UN Charter and international law, for a world of peace, stability, and sustainable development.

Vietnamese, Russian leaders witness exchange of cooperation documents

Party General Secretary and President To Lam and Russian President Vladimir Putin witnessed the exchange of a series of cooperation documents in Moscow on September 9 within the framework of the Vietnamese leader's state visit to Russia.

The agreements cover  a wide range of fields , including justice, finance, investment, transport, ethnic affairs, energy, nuclear safety, science and technology, education, and mineral resources.

They include a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on digital transformation of judicial agencies between the two justice ministries; a MoU on boosting investment cooperation between Vietnam’s Ministry of Finance and Russia’s Ministry of Economic Development; and another on vocational education and transport sector workforce training between Vietnam’s Ministry of Construction and Russia’s Ministry of Transport.

Other signed documents comprise a MoU on ethnic affairs between Vietnam’s Ministry of Ethnic and Religious Affairs and Russia’s Federal Agency for Ethnic Affairs; a MoU on promoting investment cooperation between the Vietnamese Ministry of Finance and the Russian Direct Investment Fund; and an investment registration certificate involving the Vietnam National Industry - Energy Group (Petrovietnam) and the Zarubezhneft Asia-VSP-PVEP consortium.

On science, technology and nuclear safety, both sides  exchanged an agreement on radiation and nuclear safety management for peaceful uses of atomic energy between the Vietnam Agency for Radiation and Nuclear Safety and Russia’s Federal Service for Environmental, Technological and Nuclear Supervision; a cooperation accord between the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology and the Moscow Power Engineering Institute; a MoU between Vietnam National University-Ho Chi Minh City and Saint Petersburg State University; and a roadmap for strategic technology cooperation between the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology and AFK Sistema.

Energy agreements include a Petrovietnam-Rosatom Additive Technologies deal on establishing an additive technology centre and transferring 3D printing ink production; a framework agreement between Petrovietnam and Zarubezhneft to study investing in a strategic crude oil reserve system in Vietnam; and an investment cooperation agreement between the Petrovietnam Exploration Production Corporation and Zarubezhneft Asia.

Bien Dong Mineral Co. Ltd of Vietnam and Morion LLC of Russia also exchanged an MoU to explore cooperation in geological research, surveying, assessment and exploration of mineral resources in Vietnam’s maritime zones.