20-6-2024 (HANOI) In the early hours of Tuesday, June 20th, the Vietnamese capital city of Hanoi welcomed a distinguished visitor as Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived at Noi Bai International Airport, commencing a state visit at the invitation of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. The arrival of the Russian leader’s special Il-96-300PU aircraft, carrying him and his entourage, marked the beginning of a diplomatic endeavour aimed at strengthening the longstanding ties between the two nations.
As the plane touched down at 1:45 a.m. local time, a warm and humid summer night greeted the Russian delegation. Clad in a black suit, white shirt, and purple tie, President Putin swiftly disembarked from the aircraft, shaking hands with the flight attendant before making his way to the awaiting reception party. Among the high-ranking officials accompanying the Russian leader were Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko, and several other ministers overseeing sectors such as justice, industry, trade, transport, and energy.
On the tarmac, a warm welcome awaited President Putin, with a delegation led by Le Hoai Trung, the Secretary of the Party Central Committee and Head of the Central Committee for Foreign Affairs. Also present were Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha, Head of the Office of the President Le Khanh Hai, Hanoi City Chairman Tran Sy Thanh, Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia Dang Minh Khoi, and representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. After exchanging cordial greetings and handshakes with the welcoming party, President Putin and his entourage were swiftly escorted to their accommodation at the renowned Metropole Hotel in Hoan Kiem District.
Vietnam welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin, underlining its decades-old relationship with Moscow in the face of US criticism over the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine. Putin arrived in Hanoi on Thursday from North Korea https://t.co/EOg0222sK5 pic.twitter.com/sMYa1xqlJy
— Bloomberg TV (@BloombergTV) June 20, 2024
The presidential motorcade, led by Vietnamese traffic police on motorcycles and cars, navigated through the streets of Hanoi, traversing major thoroughfares such as Vo Nguyen Giap, Nhat Tan Bridge, Vo Chi Cong, the beltway, and Dao Tan, before reaching their destination at the Metropole Hotel after a 40-minute journey. This visit marks President Putin’s fifth trip to Vietnam, having previously visited the country in 2001, 2006, 2013, and 2017 for the APEC summit hosted in Da Nang.
According to the tentative schedule, President Putin is expected to engage in a series of high-level meetings and events throughout the day. These include an official welcoming ceremony at the Presidential Palace, followed by talks with President To Lam, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, and General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. Additionally, the Russian leader is scheduled to pay his respects at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and meet with National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man. He will also have the opportunity to interact with leaders of the Vietnam-Russia Friendship Association and alumni who studied in Russia, before attending a state banquet hosted in his honour.
The visit holds significant importance for the two nations, as they seek to further strengthen their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, established in 2012. Russian Ambassador to Vietnam Gennady Bezdetko revealed that during this visit, the two sides plan to approve a Joint Declaration and sign a package of cooperation documents spanning various fields, including higher education, justice, customs regulations, economy, and energy.
The longstanding relationship between Vietnam and Russia, which traces its roots back to the establishment of diplomatic ties with the Soviet Union in 1950, has evolved over the decades. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, Russia was recognized as the successor state, and in 1994, the two countries signed the Treaty on the Basic Principles of Friendly Relations.
