Putin received a warm welcome in the Communist country, where he was greeted with a 21-gun salute during a military ceremony, as reported by AFP.
Vietnamese President To Lam met with Putin in Hanoi, the capital, where he congratulated Putin on his re-election and praised Russia’s achievement in establishing “domestic political stability.”
Lam stated, “Once again, congratulations to our comrade for receiving overwhelming support during the recent presidential election, underscoring the confidence of the Russian people.”
In response, Putin emphasized that “strengthening a comprehensive strategic partnership with Vietnam was one of Russia’s priorities.”
Putin’s visit to Vietnam marks the final leg of his two-nation tour of Asia.
Vietnam’s decision to host Putin has sparked criticism from its key partner, the United States, which upgraded diplomatic relations with Hanoi last year and is its top export market.
In a statement released earlier in the week, the US embassy stated that no country should provide Putin with a platform to promote Russia’s actions in Ukraine.
Prior to his visit to Vietnam, Putin met with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang, where both leaders signed a mutual defense pact.
During the ceremony, Putin remarked, “Today, we are fighting together against the hegemonism and neo-colonial practices of the United States and its satellites.”
Kim referred to Putin as the “dearest friend of the Korean people” and pledged his “full support and solidarity” over the war in Ukraine, which has resulted in numerous UN sanctions against Moscow.
Putin expressed gratitude to his host, whose country has been under a UN sanctions regime since 2006 for its banned weapons programs, stating that Moscow valued the “consistent and unwavering” support.
Putin called for a reevaluation of UN sanctions on North Korea and stated that both countries would not succumb to Western “blackmail.”
