Putin lauds deepening ties with Vietnam leader To Lam at Kremlin talks

Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed deepening economic relations at talks with Vietnam President and Communist Party General Secretary To Lam on Sept 9.



"We're very pleased to see you," Putin told Lam at the Kremlin meeting. Trade between Russia and Vietnam expanded by almost 6 per cent in 2025 and the growth rate has "practically doubled" in the first half of 2026, he said.



The two nations have close defence ties, given Russia's historic role as Vietnam's largest military supplier.



The South-east Asian nation has been seeking to upgrade its military capabilities in recent months and diversify its partners as it confronts an increasingly assertive Chinese presence in the disputed waters of the South China Sea.



Energy cooperation is also a major focus of the trip, building on Russia's longstanding role in Vietnam's oil and gas sector, as well as the agreement to build the Ninh Thuan 1 nuclear power plant. Hanoi is seeking more broadly to find new sources of power as it aims to address energy security concerns following the Iran war in its pursuit of 10 per cent growth.