Russia and Vietnam agreed to deepen military cooperation

Russia and Vietnam have agreed to deepen their defense cooperation. This happened during Vladimir Putin's visit to Vietnam.
Before leaving for Vietnam, the Russian president met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, with whom he signed a treaty on mutual defense, AFP reported.
In Hanoi, Putin did not receive such a clear public declaration of support, but Vietnamese President To Lam expressed a desire to increase defense cooperation.
"The two countries want to accelerate defense and security cooperation to help them deal with non-traditional security challenges based on international law, for the sake of peace and security in the region and the world," Lam said.
Russia has been Vietnam's main arms supplier for decades, accounting for more than 80% of imports in the period 1995-2023. Orders have fallen in recent years as international sanctions related to the conflict in Ukraine have tightened.
The two countries said their defense and security cooperation "is not directed against any third country" and contributes to "peace, stability and sustainable development" in the region.
Lam and Putin signed about a dozen cooperation agreements in the fields of education, justice and civilian nuclear projects.
Putin said the talks were constructive and that the two countries had "identical or very close" positions on key international issues.
The Russian president also spoke with Nguyen Phu Chong, the influential general secretary of the ruling Communist Party, and laid a wreath at the memorial to communist leader Ho Chi Minh. | BGNES