Vietnamese President and Communist Party General Secretary To Lam’s visit to Moscow is continuing amid expectations of progress in oil, natural gas and nuclear energy cooperation with Russia. To Lam met Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin on Wednesday.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said at a news conference in the morning that the talks between the leaders were expected to be high-level and comprehensive.
Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Le Thi Thu Hang had also said that Hanoi expected progress with Russia in the areas of oil, natural gas and nuclear energy.
Video link planned for laboratory
To Lam and Putin are expected to hold a joint news conference after the talks between Vietnamese and Russian officials. The leaders are also scheduled to preside over the official opening of a joint laboratory for infectious disease research via video link.
To Lam attended the Victory Day parade in Red Square in May 2025 and signed a strategic partnership agreement with Russia.
To Lam’s Moscow program
As part of the state visit that began Monday, the Vietnamese leader met with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Deputy Chairman of the Security Council Dmitry Medvedev and Federation Council Chairwoman Valentina Matviyenko.
To Lam’s program also included meetings with Gennady Zyuganov, chairman of the Communist Party of Russia, Russian war veterans and representatives of the Vietnamese diaspora in Moscow. At a gathering held at the embassy, he highlighted Vietnam’s transformation toward diversifying its international integration.
Russia remains Vietnam’s largest arms supplier. The two countries also cooperate on nuclear energy and natural gas projects in the South China Sea. Some of these projects are located in waters also claimed by China. Hanoi, meanwhile, is seeking to diversify its sources of military supplies.
