Vietnam-Russia relations in 2025 flourish with positive outcomes: Ambassador Gennady Bezdetko
WVR - In 2025, the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Vietnam and the Russian Federation achieved positive results across various fields, laying a crucial foundation for the effective implementation of the Comprehensive Cooperation Development Plan until 2030.
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| The Vietnam-Russia relationship in 2025 flourishes, achieving positive outcomes across various fields. (Photo: Thanh Binh) |
On December 29, in Hanoi, the Russian Federation Embassy in Vietnam, in coordination with the Russian Trade Representative and the Russian Science and Culture Centre, held a press conference to inform the public of the outcomes of the Vietnam-Russia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2025 and plans for 2026.
Regular and substantive dialogue
At the press conference, Ambassador Gennady Stepanovich Bezdetko affirmed that 2025 was a year rich in events on various levels, marking historical milestones such as the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the Russian Federation, the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of South and National Reunification of Vietnam, Vietnam's 80th anniversary of National Day and Russia's 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War. The relationship between the two countries continues to be strengthened based on political trust and substantive dialogue at all levels.
Ambassador G.S. Bezdetko emphasized that the key foundation for this is regular and substantive dialogue at all levels, including the highest level, creating strong momentum for multifaceted cooperation development between Russia and Vietnam.
The central event of the year was the visit of General Secretary To Lam to the Russian Federation in May, during which a significant package of agreements was signed, including nearly 20 documents in various fields such as economy, science, and human resource training, contributing to strengthening the legal framework and creating additional momentum for multifaceted cooperation development between Russia and Vietnam. In Russia, the image of Vietnam People's Army soldiers participating in the parade on Red Square on Victory Day was received with special emotion and appreciation, vividly demonstrating the historical perspective shared by the two countries.
Russian President V.V. Putin also had meetings with President Luong Cuong and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on the occasion of multilateral activities. Many high-level Russian delegations visited Vietnam, including visits by Prime Minister M.V. Mishustin, Chairman of the State Duma V.V. Volodin; First Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council, Secretary of the General Council of the All-Russian Political Party "United Russia" V.V. Yakushev; First Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council A.V. Yatskin. Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation S.K. Shoigu, Assistant to the Russian President – Chairman of the Maritime Council N.P. Patrushev, Assistant to the President D.Yu. Mironov, along with representatives from the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Industry and Trade, and many other Russian ministries and agencies also visited Vietnam.
Cooperation and exchanges between localities of the two countries continued to be promoted, notably between Moscow, Saint-Petersburg, the Republic of Tatarstan, Vladimir, and Kaluga provinces with many provinces and cities in Vietnam.
Russia also stood by Vietnam during difficult times, exemplified by the support of 30 tons of relief goods for the people of Central Vietnam after natural disasters in October.
Cooperation on multilateral forums was also enhanced. Vietnam and Russia effectively cooperated on important multilateral forums such as the United Nations, BRICS, APEC, and within the Russia-ASEAN framework, demonstrating the alignment in the positions of the two countries on many regional and global issues.
As a highlight illustrating this effective cooperation, Ambassador G.S. Bezdetko emphasized the significant importance of signing the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime in Hanoi (Hanoi Convention) last October. This was a historic event, realizing an initiative proposed by Russia since 2019 with strong support from Vietnam and the international community, making the construction of a universal international treaty to combat the use of information and communication technology for criminal purposes a reality.
Effective economic-trade and investment cooperation
According to Ambassador G.S. Bezdetko and Russian Trade Representative in Vietnam Vyacheslav Kharinov, bilateral trade continued to grow. According to Vietnamese statistics, from January to November this year, total trade turnover reached 4.3 billion USD (up 3.7%), with Russian exports reaching 2.24 billion USD (up 10.75%) and imports reaching 2.06 billion USD (down 3%).
The effective exploitation of the Free Trade Agreement between Vietnam and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) will continue to expand bilateral cooperation space. The positive growth indicators of the EAEU in 2025, along with the high rate of payments in national currencies, create favourable conditions for promoting substantive cooperation with Vietnam.
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| Russian Trade Representative in Vietnam Vyacheslav Kharinov speaking at the press conference. (Photo: Courtesy) |
According to Vyacheslav Kharinov, economic and trade cooperation with Southeast Asian countries is increasingly important for Russia, with Vietnam being one of Russia's key partners in the region. Russia continues to export traditional goods to Vietnam such as fuel, fertilizers, metals, and machinery, while Vietnam maintains its advantages in agricultural products, textiles, electronics, and consumer goods.
At the beginning of 2025, the two countries set a target for bilateral trade turnover to reach 15 billion USD by 2030, with the key tool being the Comprehensive Cooperation Development Plan between Russia and Vietnam until 2030, covering fields such as industry, logistics, digital technology, education, pharmaceuticals, and many other cooperation directions, ensuring sustainable growth in trade, investment, and production cooperation, with active participation from small and medium enterprises.
The implementation of projects to localize production, especially in pharmaceuticals and high technology, along with the improvement of payment mechanisms in local currencies, will help expand Russia's presence and create new capacities for Vietnam's economy.
Assessing economic cooperation achievements, the Russian Ambassador cited the success of the GAZ automobile assembly plant in Da Nang with 3,000 vehicles supplied to the market and the presence of the TH True Milk Group in Russia as effective cooperation models.
Cooperation in the oil and gas sector continued to be promoted with the participation of Russian groups such as Zarubezhneft, Gazprom, NOVATEK, and the National Oil and Gas Group Petrovietnam. During General Secretary To Lam's visit to Russia, the two sides signed intergovernmental agreements guiding the cooperation activities of the Vietsovpetro and Rusvietpetro joint ventures until 2050. Negotiations on the Intergovernmental Agreement project to build the Ninh Thuan-1 Nuclear Power Plant have entered the final stage. At the same time, the two sides are exploring the possibility of implementing joint projects on renewable energy development in Vietnam.
Highlights in scientific-educational cooperation and people-to-people exchanges
In the fields of education, science, and people-to-people exchanges, Ambassador G.S. Bezdetko and Director of the Russian Science and Culture Centre Vladimir Murashkin highlighted positive results in maintaining and developing high-quality human resources. Russia continues to offer 1,000 annual scholarships to Vietnamese students while promoting the transformation of the Pushkin Russian Language Institute in Hanoi into a regional Russian language centre. Cultural activities in 2025 were vibrant with Moscow Days in Hanoi, Vietnam Culture Days in Russia, and a series of classical art performances by Russian ballet and symphony orchestras at Ho Guom Theater.
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| Director of the Russian Science and Culture Center Vladimir Murashkin speaking at the press conference. (Photo: Courtesy) |
Vladimir Murashkin shared that the Russian Science and Culture Centre always prioritizes connecting the younger generations of the two countries and effectively implementing joint training and research programs to ensure that in the future, Vietnam-Russia relations will continue to develop optimally based on knowledge and mutual understanding.
A new highlight in scientific cooperation is the handover of the research vessel "Professor Gagarinsky" to the Vietnam-Russia Tropical Centre, significantly expanding the capacity to conduct scientific research in the East Sea, and the favourable progress of the Nuclear Science and Technology Center project in Dong Nai.
Notably, the tourism sector has witnessed a boom with the number of Russian tourists to Vietnam reaching 590,000 in 11 months, expected to surpass the record 650,000 by the end of the year thanks to the resumption of direct flights to various destinations such as Hanoi, Nha Trang, and Phu Quoc.
Prospects for cooperation in 2026
At the press conference, Russian representatives answered many questions from reporters about the 2026 plans, including preparations for high-level visits, specific cooperation areas such as defense security, scientific cooperation, digital economy, pharmaceuticals, prospects for supplying new Russian cancer vaccines to the Vietnamese market, organizing Russia Day in Vietnam...
Answering a reporter's question about high-level visits next year, Ambassador Gennady Bezdetko expressed expectations for a vibrant year in high-level exchanges between the two countries.
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| Overview of the press conference. (Photo: Courtesy) |
Ambassador Bezdetko expressed confidence that Vietnam will enter a new development phase with remarkable achievements, and Russia will always be a reliable partner, ready to support Vietnam in high-tech fields such as digital transformation, cybersecurity, and nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. Regarding nuclear energy, the Ambassador mentioned that the Ninh Thuan-1 Nuclear Power Plant project is being actively discussed by both sides.
Concluding the press conference, Ambassador G.S. Bezdetko extended heartfelt thanks to Vietnamese agencies for supporting the successful organization of exchange events over the past year, while committing to further deepening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for the benefit of the peoples of both countries and peace in the region.
