General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee To Lam met with Speaker of the Russian Federation Council Valentina Matviyenko in Moscow on May 9 afternoon (local time).
The meeting took place as part of the Vietnamese leader’s official visit to Russia and participation in the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the Victory of the Great Patriotic War.
Matviyenko hailed the significance of the visit, especially amid the major anniversaries of each country and bilateral relations, including the 75th anniversary of the Vietnam – Russia diplomatic ties, the 80th anniversary of the Victory of the Great Patriotic War, 50 years since the liberation of the South and national liberation of Vietnam, and the 80th anniversary of Vietnam’s National Day. She also congratulated Vietnam on the 71st anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu Victory (May 7, 1954–2025), which she described as a demonstration of the Vietnamese people’s heroism, unyieldingness, and aspiration for freedom and independence.
The host noted with satisfaction the progress of the two countries’ relations, saying the visit will create a new impulse for further enhancing the traditional friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and Russia.
General Secretary Lam noted his visit reflects Vietnam’s special sentiment for and attachment of importance to Russia.
The Party, State, and people of Vietnam always treasure the faithful and close-knit bonds with the Russian people, and view developing the comprehensive strategic partnership with Russia as one of the top priorities in Vietnam’s foreign policy, he remarked.
He also highly valued the Russian Federation Council’s role in promoting bilateral cooperation, calling on the two sides to keep strengthening parliamentary cooperation to practically contribute to the fruitful implementation of bilateral agreements.
Matviyenko said members of the Russian Federation Council, despite coming from different political parties, as well as all political parties in the Federal Assembly of Russia have good sentiments towards Vietnam and support the promotion of the countries’ traditional friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership.
The Russian Federation Council will continue advocating the expansion of bilateral cooperation in all aspects, including Party-to-Party relations, economy, trade, science – technique, education – training, security – defence, culture, and people-to-people exchange, she added.
The Speaker also expressed her delight at the inauguration of the President Ho Chi Minh monument in Saint Petersburg in 2023 and the naming of a road in Dien Bien Phu city as Leningrad-Saint Petersburg.
She affirmed that the Federation Council will continue acting as a bridge connecting Vietnamese provinces and cities with Russian localities, and help them carry out the signed agreements in result-oriented manner.
She emphasised the Russian Federation Council’s readiness to coordinate with the Vietnamese National Assembly to enhance their roles at multilateral parliamentary forums to promote the principles of peace, stability, and respect for international law.
The two leaders agreed to highly value the results of parliamentary cooperation in recent times and emphasised the necessity of strengthening exchanges at all levels, particularly between specialised committees and friendship parliamentary groups. They also agreed to continue coordinating in supervising the implementation of bilateral agreements in five pillars: defence and security, energy and oil & gas, science and high technology, human resource training, and infrastructure.
Furthermore, they discussed supporting the resolution of legal obstacles to promote effective cooperation between the two countries in the new period; enhancing cultural, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges as well as cooperation between localities of the two nations; and supporting Vietnamese airlines in operating direct flights between Hanoi and Moscow.
The two sides also discussed strengthening coordination at multilateral parliamentary forums such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the Asia-Europe Parliamentary Partnership Meeting (ASEP), thereby contributing a common voice in favour of peace, cooperation, and sustainable development in the region and globally. General Secretary Lam proposed that the Federal Assembly of Russia continue to maintain an objective and balanced stance and support the positions of Vietnam and ASEAN in addressing the East Sea issue on the basis of international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
On this occasion, Matviyenko extended her greetings to Chairman of the Vietnamese National Assembly Tran Thanh Man. General Secretary Lam also conveyed Man’s regards and invitation to her to visit Vietnam at a convenient time. The Speaker gladly accepted the invitation./.
