Deputy Prime Minister General Phan Van Giang visits Russia, deepening defence cooperation
WVR - Deputy Prime Minister General Phan Van Giang visits Russian Federation to strengthen defense relations, affirming the importance of their comprehensive strategic partnership.
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| Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Andrey Removich Belousov hosted a welcoming ceremony for General Phan Van Giang, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense. (Photo: Ministry of National Defense) |
On May 21, at the headquarters of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation in Moscow, Minister of Defense Andrey Removich Belousov hosted a welcoming ceremony for General Phan Van Giang, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense, and the high-level delegation of the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense on an official visit to the Russian Federation, co-chairing the second consultation in the maritime field. The delegation included Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Gau, Deputy Minister of National Defense.
During the talks following the ceremony, General Phan Van Giang affirmed that Vietnam always cherishes and remembers the sincere support and affection that the leadership and people of the Russian Federation have extended to Vietnam during the struggle for national independence and in the cause of nation-building and safeguarding.
With the active cooperation of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense solemnly inaugurated the Vietnam-Soviet Union Solidarity and Friendship Monument at the Vietnam Military History Museum in August 2025 to honour Soviet military experts who assisted Vietnam, with Russian experts being the core force.
General Phan Van Giang expressed his delight at the sound development of the traditional friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and the Russian Federation. The important agreements reached by the high-level leaders of both sides have created a strong impetus to further deepen cooperation in all fields, with defense cooperation continuing to be identified as one of the key pillars.
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| General Phan Van Giang cordially invited the leadership of the Ministry of Defense and defense industry enterprises of the Russian Federation to participate and exhibit products at the 3rd Vietnam International Defense Exhibition in December 2026. (Photo: Ministry of National Defense) |
Russian Minister of Defense Andrey Removich Belousov congratulated General Phan Van Giang on his appointment as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense by the Vietnamese National Assembly. He expressed confidence that in his new, significant role, General Phan Van Giang will continue to focus on and make important contributions to the development of bilateral defense cooperation as well as the comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and the Russian Federation. He also affirmed that the Russian Ministry of Defense supports and is ready to promote cooperation with the Vietnamese Ministry of Defense in new fields suitable to the capabilities and conditions of each side.
The two Ministers assessed that, based on the results of the talks between the Defense Ministers of the two countries in August 2024, with the close attention of the high-level leadership of both countries and the determination and efforts from both sides, bilateral defense relations have been increasingly consolidated and strengthened, commensurate with their role as an important pillar in the overall Vietnam-Russian Federation relationship, achieving many outstanding results in various fields: delegation exchanges, contacts at all levels, especially high-level; cooperation between agencies and units of the two ministries of defense; training cooperation; scientific and technological research cooperation within the framework of the Vietnam-Russia Tropical Centre; active support and participation in international multilateral activities hosted by each side; close coordination in cooperation mechanisms led by ASEAN, including the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting Plus (ADMM )...
To elevate bilateral defense cooperation to a deeper, more substantive, and effective level in accordance with the spirit of consensus between the high-level leadership of the two countries, based on General Phan Van Giang's proposal, both sides agreed to continue coordinating the implementation of agreed cooperation contents, focusing on areas such as: effectively implementing signed cooperation documents; exchanging and signing new cooperation documents that meet the demands of both sides; exchanging experiences; cooperation in humanitarian demining, education, and military history communication of both countries; training cooperation; promoting cooperation between the Vietnam-Russia Tropical Centre and units of the Russian Ministry of Defense... General Phan Van Giang sincerely thanked the Russian Ministry of Defense for providing training quotas for the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense; affirmed that the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense is ready to receive Russian military personnel to learn Vietnamese and attend international defense official courses at academies and schools.
During the talks, General Phan Van Giang cordially invited the leadership of the Ministry of Defense and defense industry enterprises of the Russian Federation to participate and exhibit products at the 3rd Vietnam International Defense Exhibition in December 2026, contributing to the overall success of the event.
After the talks, both sides signed numerous important documents, providing a solid foundation for cooperation in the future.
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| General Phan Van Giang and the high-level delegation of the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense laid wreath in tribute at the Ho Chi Minh Monument. (Photo: Ministry of National Defense) |
Also on May 21, General Phan Van Giang and the high-level delegation of the Vietnamese Ministry of Defense laid flowers in tribute at the Ho Chi Minh Monument and planted commemorative trees; laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Moscow.
Earlier, on the afternoon of May 20, General Phan Van Giang and the high-level delegation of the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense visited the Vietnamese Embassy in Moscow.
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| General Phan Van Giang and the high-level delegation of the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense visited the Vietnamese Embassy in Moscow. (Photo provided by the Ministry of Defense) |
Appreciating the contributions of the Embassy in promoting Vietnam-Russia relations, General Phan Van Giang thanked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in general and the Vietnamese Embassy in Russia in particular, including Ambassador Dang Minh Khoi, for their role in strengthening and enhancing defense cooperation between the two countries.
General Phan Van Giang hopes to continue receiving support and assistance from the Embassy to further strengthen and deepen Vietnam-Russia defense cooperation, thereby contributing more to the traditional friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.
Russian Federation prioritizes developing comprehensive strategic partnership with Vietnam
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| General Phan Van Giang, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of National Defense, met with General Sergei Kuzhugetovich Shoigu, Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation. (Photo: Ministry of National Defense) |
On the morning of May 22, as part of the official visit to the Russian Federation and co-chairing the second consultation session in the maritime field, at the headquarters of the Security Council of the Russian Federation in Moscow, General Phan Van Giang, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of National Defense, and the high-level delegation of the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense met with General Sergei Kuzhugetovich Shoigu, Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation. Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Gau, Deputy Minister of National Defense, also participated in the delegation's activities.
During the meeting, General Phan Van Giang expressed his delight at the sound development of the traditional friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and the Russian Federation in all fields, with defense cooperation and energy - oil and gas being identified as important pillars.
Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense, General Phan Van Giang highly appreciated the positive results achieved in Vietnam-Russia defense cooperation in recent times, notably in military cooperation, branches, and between agencies and units of the two ministries of defense; training; scientific and technological research cooperation within the framework of the Vietnam-Russia Tropical Center; active support and participation in international multilateral activities hosted by each side; close coordination in cooperation mechanisms led by ASEAN, including the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting Plus (ADMM )...
On this occasion, General Phan Van Giang sincerely thanked the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation and the Security Council of the Russian Federation for their attention, favourable conditions, and scholarships for training Vietnamese military personnel.
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| Both sides agreed to continue coordinating and implementing the agreed cooperation contents. (Photo: Ministry of National Defense) |
Recalling the positive impressions and results achieved during his visit and work in Vietnam in December 2025, and congratulating General Phan Van Giang on his appointment as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense by the Vietnamese National Assembly, General Sergei Kuzhugetovich Shoigu affirmed that the Russian Federation prioritizes developing a comprehensive strategic partnership with Vietnam. He expressed the desire for both sides to continue close coordination to effectively implement the agreements reached during high-level visits, meetings, and contacts of the two countries' leaders, contributing to building trust and strengthening cooperation between the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense and the Security Council of the Russian Federation.
Discussing measures to promote Vietnam-Russia defense cooperation to a deeper, more substantive, and effective level in accordance with the spirit of consensus between the high-level leadership of the two countries, both sides agreed to continue coordinating and implementing the agreed cooperation contents, including enhancing experience exchange; promoting cooperation in humanitarian demining; education and military history propaganda to further tighten the traditional friendship between the two countries; promoting training cooperation; enhancing the effectiveness of the Vietnam-Russia Tropical Centre through promoting cooperation in technology transfer, occupational medicine, marine and island resource and environment research, conservation, restoration of ecosystems, and marine environment...
