ASEAN-Russia Commemorative Summit: Building bridges for a new journey
WVR - The ASEAN - Russia 35th Anniversary Summit holds special significance, transcending a typical commemorative event to reach historical proportions; it demonstrates the highest level of commitment from both sides to the Strategic Partnership and their mutual respect for each other's position and role in the region and the world. Vietnam, with aspirations as a "bridge," seeks to contribute more deeply to shaping ASEAN - Russia cooperation on this new journey.
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| Prime Minister Le Minh Hung departs Hanoi to attend the ASEAN - Russia 35th Anniversary Summit in Kazan. (Source: VNA) |
A week ago, speaking at the ASEAN Future Forum 2026, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung emphasized that ASEAN needs to become the center of dialogue, the focal point of cooperation, and the anchor of trust; Vietnam is strongly committed to accompanying ASEAN on this journey with all its heart and mind.
The "heated" message continues to be conveyed as the Prime Minister attends the ASEAN - Russia 35th Anniversary Summit this time, aiming to add momentum to bilateral cooperation, contributing to creating a peaceful, secure, and stable environment for development.
The trip to attend the ASEAN - Russia 35th Anniversary Summit (June 17-18 in Kazan, Russia) marks the Prime Minister's first visit to Russia in his new role, a country with traditional friendly relations, close ties, and a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with Vietnam. This is also a clear message of Vietnam's appreciation for the ASEAN - Russia Strategic Partnership, as well as for the traditional friendship, strategic trust, and effective cooperation between Vietnam and Russia over the decades.
Pivotal direction for cooperation
It is evident that, in recent important milestones, ASEAN - Russia relations have undergone significant qualitative changes in cooperation. Reflecting on the ASEAN - Russia 20th Anniversary Summit (in Sochi in 2016) with the theme "Towards a Strategic Partnership for Common Benefits" laid the groundwork for a crucial turning point for both sides to upgrade to a Strategic Partnership at the third Summit (November 2018 in Singapore); subsequently, at the fourth ASEAN - Russia Summit on the occasion of the 30th anniversary (2021), leaders from both sides adopted a Joint Declaration on building a peaceful, stable, and sustainable region.
This time, marking the 35-year journey, ASEAN - Russia relations, amidst unprecedented international upheavals since the Cold War, continue to shape the future development path together to address challenges, seize opportunities, and contribute to the aspiration for common peace and stability.
In this spirit, sharing with the press about the ASEAN - Russia 35th Anniversary Summit, Deputy Foreign Minister Dang Hoang Giang highlighted three major focuses. Firstly, through a comprehensive review of the ASEAN - Russia Strategic Partnership over the past period, assessing the achievements, identifying limitations and barriers to cooperation, proposing new directions, key areas, and breakthrough measures to enhance substantive, mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields, especially energy security, as well as exploring opportunities to strengthen connectivity and integration, creating new development spaces between the Asia - Europe regions.
Secondly, ASEAN - Russia leaders will engage in extensive discussions on regional and international issues of mutual concern to enhance understanding, strengthen strategic trust, and jointly address common challenges based on international law.
Thirdly, the Summit is expected to adopt pivotal documents guiding ASEAN - Russia cooperation in the coming period, better meeting the development needs of both ASEAN and Russia in the new situation.
Sharing with The World and Vietnam Report, Russian Ambassador to Vietnam Bezdetko Gennady Stepanovich affirmed that Russia consistently supports strengthening ASEAN's central role in regional issues and wishes to enhance coordination with ASEAN within the framework of the East Asia Summit (EAS), ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting Plus (ADMM ), and other multilateral mechanisms.
At the same time, Russia views ASEAN as an important centre of the emerging multipolar world order and one of the most successful and reputable regional organizations, firmly establishing its leading role in integration processes in the Asia-Pacific region.
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| Russia views ASEAN as one of the most successful and reputable regional organizations, firmly establishing its leading role in integration processes in the Asia-Pacific region. (Source: ASEAN Secretariat) |
Promoting the realization of initiatives
Vietnam is an active, proactive, and responsible member of ASEAN; Vietnam also has traditional friendly relations and a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with Russia. With both the "necessary and sufficient" conditions, Vietnam can clearly play an effective "bridge" role to promote ASEAN - Russia cooperation in various fields.
Delving deeper into this aspect, in response to TGVN, Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia Dang Minh Khoi stated that Vietnam is one of the most active countries supporting Russia in expanding cooperative relations with ASEAN. Vietnam has proposed many initiatives and recommendations to promote relations between Russia and ASEAN, supporting Russia's more active participation in ASEAN institutions.
Furthermore, Vietnam supports ASEAN - Russia in promoting dialogue and effective cooperation in areas of mutual interest such as economic-trade, energy, science-technology, education-training, addressing non-traditional security challenges, expanding cooperation between ASEAN and EAEU, SCO, BRICS, while enhancing coordination with Russia within the ASEAN - Russia cooperation framework.
"Vietnam not only supports Russia's initiatives within ASEAN but also actively contributes to realizing those initiatives," Ambassador Bezdetko Gennady Stepanovich added.
This positive spirit and "bridge" role are more clearly demonstrated within the framework of this ASEAN - Russia Summit. According to Deputy Minister Dang Hoang Giang, for this Summit, Vietnam has made thorough preparations and outlined several major overarching focuses.
Firstly, Vietnam will work with other countries to promote a substantive, balanced, and results-oriented approach in ASEAN - Russia cooperation. Vietnam will also promote highly feasible initiatives that align with ASEAN's needs, Russia's strengths, and the current situation's requirements.
Secondly, Vietnam aims to contribute to expanding the cooperation space between ASEAN and the Asia-Europe region. As a leading ASEAN country in cooperation with the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) by signing the Vietnam - EAEU FTA in 2015, Vietnam has practical experience to share in promoting trade, investment, logistics, supply chains, and business connectivity.
Thirdly, Vietnam will engage with other countries on regional and international situations, especially issues directly impacting peace, stability, energy security, supply chains, and development. With a spirit of dialogue, constructiveness, and respect for international law, Vietnam aims to contribute to enhancing understanding, narrowing differences, and strengthening trust between ASEAN and Russia as well as among regional partners.
New momentum for Comprehensive Strategic Partnership
From a bilateral perspective, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung's visit to Russia this time continues to affirm the message that Vietnamese leaders and people value the traditional friendship with the Russian Federation, aspiring and determined to further deepen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with Russia in the new era of national development, maintaining positive development momentum, while maximizing potential and creating new momentum for bilateral cooperation.
During the trip, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung is expected to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin and work with the head of the Republic of Tatarstan. The meeting will be an important occasion to convey the new government's message about continuing to value and promote Vietnam - Russia relations; simultaneously discussing major breakthrough directions, key cooperation areas, and measures to resolve obstacles to effectively implement high-level agreements, including important results from the visit to Russia by General Secretary, President To Lam in May 2025 and the visit by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh in March 2026.
Key energy cooperation will also be a major topic of discussion between the two countries' leaders, especially in implementing the Ninh Thuan 1 Nuclear Power Plant project based on the signed intergovernmental agreement and long-term oil and gas cooperation.
Thus, with all the aspirations for this important commemorative summit, it can be affirmed that Russia values ASEAN, the "ASEAN spirit," the "ASEAN way," and the Strategic Partnership with ASEAN; in return, ASEAN also values Russia's role and position in the region and the world. It is this trust and sincere appreciation that will propel ASEAN - Russia cooperation further on the new journey.
