Speaker Valentina Matviyenko warmly welcomed General Secretary To Lam and his entourage and appreciated the significance of the visit, especially as the two nations commemorate important historical milestones in their bilateral ties.

These include the 75th anniversary of Vietnam–Russia diplomatic relations, the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification of Vietnam, and the 80th National Day of Vietnam. She also extended congratulations on the 71st anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu Victory – a powerful symbol of the Vietnamese people’s courage, resilience, and aspiration for freedom and independence.

Matviyenko rejoiced over the positive momentum in the bilateral relationship in recent years, while expressing confidence that the visit by the Vietnamese Party chief would provide fresh impetus and help further deepen the traditional friendship and Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Vietnam and Russia.

For his part, the Vietnamese Party leader said the visit demonstrates Vietnam’s special affection and strong commitment to its relationship with Russia. He affirmed that the Vietnamese Party, State and people always cherish the faithful and enduring bond that the Russian people have extended to Vietnam, and consider the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with Russia a top priority in Vietnam’s foreign policy. The Party leader hailed the role of the Federation Council in promoting bilateral cooperation and expressed hope for stronger parliamentary cooperation to effectively implement joint agreements.

Speaker Matviyenko affirmed that despite political party differences, members of the Federation Council and all parties within the Russian Parliament share a deep affection for Vietnam and support the enhancement of the traditional friendship and strategic partnership. She stated that the Council will continue to support expanding bilateral cooperation across all fields,  including party-to-party exchanges, trade and economic ties, science and technology, education and training, defence and security, culture, and people-to-people exchange.

Expressing joy over the inauguration of the Ho Chi Minh statue in Saint Petersburg in 2023 and the naming of the Leningrad–Saint Petersburg street in Dien Bien Phu city, Matviyenko pledged that the Federation Council would continue to serve as a bridge to help Vietnamese provinces and cities establish ties with Russian localities and implement cooperation based on signed agreements with practical outcomes. She also affirmed the Council’s readiness to partner with Vietnam’s National Assembly at multilateral parliamentary forums to promote the principles of peace, stability, and respect for international law.

The two leaders agreed on the importance of enhancing parliamentary exchanges at all levels, particularly between specialized committees and friendship parliamentary groups. They also emphasized the need to intensify oversight of the implementation of bilateral agreements in five key pillars: defence–security, energy–oil and gas, high-tech science, human resource development, and infrastructure.

They underscored the importance of resolving legal bottlenecks to facilitate effective cooperation in the new period, as well as promoting cultural, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges and locality-to-locality cooperation. They also discussed support for Vietnamese airlines in operating direct air routes between Hanoi and Moscow.

The two sides also exchanged views on reinforcing coordination at multilateral parliamentary forums such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the Asia-Europe Parliamentary Partnership Meeting (ASEP), thereby contributing a united voice for peace, cooperation, and sustainable development regionally and globally.

General Secretary To Lam called on the Russian Federal Assembly to maintain an objective, balanced stance and voice support for Vietnam and ASEAN’s position on the East Sea issue, in accordance with international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

On this occasion, Speaker Matviyenko extended her regards to National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man. General Secretary To Lam conveyed Chairman Tran Thanh Man’s greetings and invited Matviyenko to visit Vietnam at an appropriate time, with the invitation being accepted with pleasure.

On the same day, Party General Secretary To Lam and his delegation attended a ceremony announcing the launch of a direct Hanoi–Moscow route by Vietnam Airlines, and witnessed the handover of memoranda of understanding between Vietnamese and Russian partners.
The event marked a new step forward as Vietnam and Russia expand their comprehensive cooperation across multiple fields, particularly in economics, trade, culture, and people-to-people exchange.

Russian ambassador optimistic about outcomes of Vietnamese leader’s visit

Russian Ambassador to Vietnam G. S. Bezdetko has shown optimism that the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee’s upcoming official visit to Russia will generate fruitful outcomes while speaking to the media on the threshold of the visit, spanning from May 8-11.