Russian Ambassador to Vietnam Gennady Bezdetko: We look to the future with confidence and optimism
WVR - "Every year on February 10, the Russian Federation celebrates Diplomat's Day. The history of Russian diplomacy dates back to ancient times, recalling Russia's first foreign affairs agency, the Decree on Ambassadors, issued by Tsar Ivan IV in 1549", shared Russia Ambassador to Vietnam Gennady Bezdetko.
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| Russian Ambassador to Vietnam Gennady Bezdetko. (Source: Russian Embassy in Vietnam) |
As our professional holiday occurs shortly before the Lunar New Year, allow me to share the results of the past year, 2025, and thoughts on plans for this year.
The past year was challenging in many respects. Various factors, including the global geopolitical situation, impacted our bilateral cooperation. However, despite all difficulties, our relations continued to develop in many areas. The key premise for this success is regular, substantive dialogue at various levels, including the highest level.
Undoubtedly, the highlight of the past year was the visit to the Russian Federation by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, To Lam.
The visit yielded many positive outcomes, notably the signing of a significant package of agreements in various fields such as economy, science, and human resource training, which helped strengthen the legal foundation and create additional momentum to promote Russia-Vietnam cooperation in many aspects.
Of course, interactions between the leaders of the two countries were not limited to this visit. In September 2025, on the occasion of multilateral events in China, exchanges took place between President Vladimir Putin and President Luong Cuong and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
Additionally, many high-level Russian delegations visited Vietnam. In January 2025, Hanoi welcomed Russian Prime Minister M.V. Mishustin; in September 2025, it welcomed Vyacheslav Volodin, Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of Russia. Furthermore, numerous interactions through party and parliamentary channels were conducted.
Despite existing limitations, bilateral trade turnover continued to grow steadily. According to Vietnamese statistics, in 2025, this turnover increased to 4.8 billion USD.
In this context, the Free Trade Agreement between the Eurasian Economic Union and Vietnam played a positive role, opening up more favorable access opportunities for goods and services from both countries into each other's markets.
Our two countries consistently support enhancing cooperation between the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), ASEAN, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and other multilateral mechanisms operating in the Eurasian space.
We believe that connecting these efforts, in the direction of "linking integration processes", not only contributes to forming the Greater Eurasian Partnership (an initiative proposed by President V.V. Putin since 2015) but also aims to build a common, equal, and indivisible Eurasian security structure in the future.
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| General Secretary To Lam shakes hands with Russian President Putin before a private meeting, during the official visit to the Russian Federation and participation in the Parade commemorating the 80th anniversary of Victory Day in the Great Patriotic War from May 8-11, 2025. (Source: VNA) |
We have also achieved positive results in the oil and gas sector. Russian companies such as JSC Zarubezhneft and PJSC Gazprom are cooperating with Vietnam's national industrial-energy group Petrovietnam. During General Secretary To Lam's visit to Russia, a series of intergovernmental agreements were signed, outlining the cooperation direction of the Vietsovpetro joint venture and Rusvietpetro LLC until 2050.
As you know, in 2025, Vietsovpetro extracted over 3 million tons of oil and 50 million cubic meters of natural gas, generating millions of USD in revenue for the state budgets of both countries and creating jobs for hundreds of Russian and Vietnamese citizens. This unique enterprise has extracted over 250 million tons of hydrocarbons on Vietnam's continental shelf and will celebrate its 45th anniversary this year (1981-2026).
We have also established a solid foundation in industrial production. In Da Nang, both sides have launched the production of Russian-branded GAZ vehicles, with some exported to neighbouring countries. The state corporation Rosatom is implementing a project to build a Nuclear Science and Technology Center in Vietnam.
At the enterprise level, both sides agreed on a draft intergovernmental agreement on constructing the Ninh Thuan-1 Nuclear Power Plant in Vietnam. The realization of this large-scale project will not only strengthen Vietnam's energy security but also elevate the country to a completely new technological level.
Additionally, the effective, long-term operation of the Russia-Vietnam Tropical Science and Technology Research Center deserves high praise. This center has conducted many unique research projects in fields such as medicine, ecology, and material science.
We are ready to continue cooperation in education and human resource training. Annually, within the framework of the Russian Federation Government's quota, about a thousand Vietnamese youth study at Russian universities funded by the federal budget. The two countries have initiated joint efforts to establish the first Russian School in Hanoi.
It can be said that Vietnamese people who know Russian and Russians who know Vietnamese are the bridges between the two nations. Recognizing that Russian art, cinema, and literature are highly favoured in Vietnam, we place special importance on cultural exchanges between the two countries. In Russia, Vietnam's rich cultural heritage also receives special attention.
This year has been declared the Year of Russia-Vietnam Cooperation in Science and Education. I believe this will further create new momentum for cooperation in this important field.
Moreover, an integral part of the humanitarian relations between the two countries remains people-to-people exchanges. Russia and Vietnam are both renowned for their hospitality. The resumption of regular and charter direct flights last year significantly increased the volume of two-way tourism.
In 2025, approximately 690,000 Russian citizens visited Vietnam—nearly three times the previous year. The number of Vietnamese tourists visiting Russia also continues to rise, clearly evidenced by the large number of electronic visas issued to Vietnamese citizens.
Cooperation between the diplomatic missions of the two countries is also increasingly strengthened. In May 2025, both sides signed a Cooperation Plan between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs for the next two years. Based on this, five rounds of consultations on current issues in the international agenda have taken place in recent months.
We highly appreciate the effective coordination with Vietnam at important multilateral forums such as the United Nations, BRICS, APEC, and within the Russia-ASEAN framework.
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| Russian Ambassador: We Look to the Future with Confidence and Optimism |
We extend our appreciation for Vietnam's support and co-sponsorship of Russia's initiatives at the United Nations Council. This is further motivated by the closeness in the positions of Russia and Vietnam on most current regional and global issues.
In particular, I want to emphasize the significant meaning of the signing of the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime in Hanoi in October 2025. As stated in the message from the President of the Russian Federation V.V. Putin to the event's delegates, this is a historic event.
Thanks to the support of the majority of countries worldwide, the initiative proposed by Russia since 2019 to develop a universal international treaty to combat the criminal use of information and communication technologies has become a reality.
Today, our two countries face new, large-scale tasks. Therefore, the importance of equal and mutually beneficial partnerships between nations, including Russia and Vietnam, is increasingly growing, for the benefit of common construction and development.
We look to the future with confidence and optimism. Together with Vietnam, we will continue to strive to realize the potential of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for the benefit of the peoples of both countries, aiming to strengthen a multipolar and prosperous world.
Finally, I sincerely wish the readers of The World and Vietnam Report a prosperous Lunar New Year Binh Ngo with abundant health, luck, happiness, and, of course, under a sky of peace!
