Party General Secretary To Lam’s Russia visit in the spotlight

On May 8 General Secretary To Lam and his spouse, along with the high-level Vietnamese delegation, arrive in Moscow, beginning their official visit to Russia and participation in the 80th anniversary celebration of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War. They are welcomed at Vnukovo International Airport in Moscow by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko and other diplomatic officials.

An official welcoming ceremony is solemnly held at Vnukovo International Airport, during which Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko invites General Secretary To Lam to review the guard of honour.

At the Russian Government headquarters on May 8 afternoon, General Secretary To Lam holds talks with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin. Both sides discuss measures to strengthen political trust and ramp up bilateral cooperation in fields such as energy, trade and investment, defence industry, transportation, high technology, healthcare, education and training, culture, tourism, local cooperation, and people-to-people exchanges.

On May 9 morning, General Secretary To Lam and his spouse, together with over 20 world leaders, attend a military parade celebrating the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War at Red Square in Moscow. (Photo: VNA)

Immediately after the parade, General Secretary To Lam and his spouse, along with Russian President Vladimir Putin and other world leaders, lay a wreath at the Tomb of Unknown Soldiers by the Kremlin Wall at Red Square. (Photo: VNA)

On May 9, during a formal reception for world leaders hosted by President Vladimir Putin, General Secretary To Lam has bilateral meetings with leaders of Cuba, China and Uzbekistan. In the photo is a meeting between General Secretary To Lam and General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping.

Party General Secretary To Lam also has a short meeting with Prime Minister Robert Fico of Slovakia, agreeing to strengthen Vietnam – Slovakia cooperation across various fields. Lam requests Slovakia’s support in urging the European Commission to remove the IUU yellow card for Vietnamese seafood exports and encourage remaining EU countries to ratify the Vietnam - EU Investment Protection Agreement. (Photo: VNA)

Also on May 9, at the Federal Council Headquarters, General Secretary To Lam has a meeting with Speaker Valentina Matviyenko. The two leaders highly appreciate the results of parliamentary cooperation between Vietnam and Russia and agree to continue supervising the implementation of bilateral agreements in five key areas, namely defence-security, energy-oil and gas, high-tech science, human resource training, and infrastructure. (Photo: VNA)

On May 9, General Secretary To Lam also meets with Dmitry Medvedev, chairman of the United Russia Party and deputy chairman of the Security Council of Russia. The two leaders work on several major directions to strengthen relations between the two Parties and countries. Lam emphasises that Vietnam highly values the traditional friendship and is ready to cooperate closely with Russia to elevate bilateral relations in key areas such as politics, security-defence, energy, education-training, culture, and people-to-people exchanges. (Photo: VNA)

General Secretary To Lam attends an inaugural ceremony of a direct flight route between Hanoi and Moscow on May 9 evening. Currently, Vietnam Airlines operates this route with a frequency of two flights per week and plans to increase the figure to three starting July 2026.

On May 10 morning, General Secretary To Lam meets with State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin. Both sides emphasise the important role of the two parliaments in strengthening economic-trade, investment, and energy cooperation, as well as resolving procedural barriers and facilitating the lives of their citizens in each other’s countries.

Also on May 10 morning, General Secretary To Lam delivers a key policy speech on fostering traditional friendship and the comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and Russia in a new era for peace, cooperation, and development, at the Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration.

Later on the same day, General Secretary To Lam, his spouse, and the high-level Vietnamese delegation lay flowers in memory of President Ho Chi Minh at the Ho Chi Minh Monument and pay tribute to General Secretary Le Duan at the memorial plaque in Moscow.

On May 10, at the Kremlin, General Secretary To Lam holds talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. During the talks, Putin expresses his sincere gratitude to Lam for attending the 80th anniversary celebration and thanked the Vietnam People’s Army for participating in the parade at Red Square. Lam congratulates Russia on the successful celebration and reaffirms that Putin is a great friend and close comrade of Vietnam. (Photo: VNA)

Also during the talks, General Secretary To Lam proposes that both sides increase exchanges at all levels and through various channels; promote economic-trade and investment cooperation; transportation collaboration; and establish a research and pilot centre for cancer vaccines in Vietnam, moving toward technology transfer and vaccine production in Vietnam. He also proposes that Russia consider visa exemptions for Vietnamese citizens, especially for short-term stays, and expand electronic visa access. Both leaders also exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual concern. (Photo: VNA)

On this occasion, Vietnam and Russia issue a joint statement outlining major orientations for the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries in a new cooperation phase. Governments and relevant agencies sign numerous cooperation documents and agreements in diplomacy, defence, oil and gas, peaceful nuclear energy, science and technology, among others. In the photo, General Secretary To Lam and President Putin also co-chair a joint press conference following their talks in Moscow on May 10. (Photo: VNA)

During his meeting with Sergey Mironov, chairman of the “A Just Russia - For Truth” Party on May 10 afternoon, General Secretary To Lam emphasises that Vietnam will continue to promote cooperation with Russia for the development and benefit of both peoples, as well as for peace, stability, and common prosperity. Meanwhile, Mironov reaffirms Russia’s appreciation of the relationship with Vietnam and praises Vietnam’s positions on issues related to Russia at international forums. (Photo: VNA)

On May 11 morning, General Secretary To Lam meets with several leading Russian enterprises, including Russia Oil and Gas JSC (Zarubezhnef), AFK Sistema Public Joint Stock Company, and Positive Technologies.

Also on May 11, General Secretary To Lam meets with Gennady Zyuganov, chairman of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation. General Secretary To Lam affirms that the Communist Party of Vietnam always treasures the traditional friendship with the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, and that this relationship is important for the overall Vietnam–Russia partnership, serving as a political foundation for boosting bilateral cooperation across sectors.

At the Vietnam–Russia Business Forum held on May 11 morning, General Secretary To Lam emphasises the goal of rapidly increasing two-way trade turnover to US$15 billion. He also witnesses the live-broadcast inauguration of the TH TRUE MILK fresh milk processing plant in Kaluga province and attends signing ceremonies for cooperation agreements between businesses of the two countries.

On May 11, General Secretary To Lam holds a heartfelt meeting with Russian intellectuals and experts who had previously assisted Vietnam. He remarks that the event not only reconnects former Soviet veterans and experts who had supported the Vietnamese people, but also contributes to educating younger generations to preserve and develop the traditional and friendly relations between the two countries.

Also on May 11, General Secretary To Lam and his spouse meets with embassy officials and representatives of the Vietnamese community in Russia. Representatives of associations in Russia express confidence that the visit would provide a significant impetus to elevate the bilateral relationship to new heights. (Photo: VNA)

Party chief affirms Vietnam’s wish to deepen ties with Russia