While the world is witnessing paradigm shifts in international relations, Vietnam continues to pursue a steady and pragmatic foreign policy rooted in its doctrine of multi-alignment. PM Chinh’s visit to Moscow (March 22-25) at the invitation of his Russian counterpart Mishustin was far from routine. It marked a substantive step forward in elevating the Russia-Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with breakthroughs in energy security and transport infrastructure cooperation.

The key highlight of the visit was the signing of an agreement on cooperation in building a nuclear power plant in Vietnam. This project will serve as an important symbol of long-term and stable bilateral relations. This underlines the shared intent of both countries to expand collaboration in new, clean and renewable energy, thereby contributing to Vietnam’s green transition and sustainable development goals. As Vietnam’s first nuclear power initiative, the project will play a crucial role in meeting the country’s rapidly growing energy demand by ensuring a stable and long-term power supply. Russian nuclear enterprises have expressed willingness to play a leading role in its implementation.

Another important dimension was the emphasis on strengthening cooperation in transport infrastructure, particularly in railway connectivity and urban rail systems. Chinh visited the Moscow Metro Joint Operations Centre (JOC) to study its technically advanced operational mechanisms. He also had a working session with leaders of Russian Railways to enhance partnership in this sector. Both sides agreed to enhance collaboration in training, operational management, and rail-based trade, with a strong focus on skill development and workforce capacity building.

The visit witnessed productive engagements between railway officials of both countries, resulting in new agreements to expand rail connectivity, diversify trade routes, and increase the volume of exchange of goods. Notably, there was a renewed focus on underground railway projects. To improve logistics, Ava Trading, a food trading company, signed a memorandum of understanding with Vietnam Railways to establish direct rail freight services between Russia and Vietnam. This initiative is expected to shift a portion of cargo transport from sea to rail, thereby improving efficiency and reducing transit times.

Beyond these sectors, various Vietnamese ministries, agencies, and localities engaged with Russian counterparts to deepen cooperation in agriculture, science and technology, education and training, and tourism. Russia, for its part, identified priority areas for future collaboration, including pharmaceuticals, healthcare, and high technology sectors.

In total, thirty agreements were concluded across a wide spectrum of fields, including oil and gas, agriculture, science and technology, education, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges. Both sides agreed on concrete measures and strategic directions to further elevate bilateral relations. Russian leaders reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening traditional areas of cooperation while also expanding into emerging domains such as renewable energy, digital transformation, healthcare, and high-quality human resource development.

During his visit, Chinh also met with the Vietnamese diaspora in Russia, encouraging them to contribute actively to strengthening bilateral relations. Such engagements underscore Chinh’s consistent effort to leverage the Vietnamese overseas communities as bridges of cooperation.

President Putin, while welcoming Chinh, reaffirmed that Vietnam remains a reliable partner and trusted friend of Russia. He noted with satisfaction the steady growth in bilateral trade, which increased by 5.6 per cent in the first three months of the year. He also expressed strong support for further deepening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

This visit builds upon Putin’s earlier visit to Hanoi in June 2024, during which 12 memorandums of understanding were signed across key sectors such as civil nuclear energy, agriculture, tourism, energy, education, and public health. Notably, Putin received a reception comparable to that accorded to leaders of major powers such as the United States and China, reflecting Vietnam’s consistent adherence to its “bamboo diplomacy.” As articulated by the late General Secretary of VCP Trong before Putin, Vietnam’s foreign policy is grounded in independence, self-reliance, diversification, and multilateralisation of international relations.

Crucially during Putin’s visit, the discussions also covered East Sea/South China Sea. The importance of respecting Vietnam’s legitimate rights and interests and the peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and early finalisation of an effective Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) were emphasised in the discussions. This indicates that Russia maintains a balanced stance and does not unequivocally align with China on this sensitive issue. Russia’s strategy is to develop strong links with non-aligned countries in Asia like Vietnam and India.

During the Moscow visit, Chinh also met with the Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation Sergey Shoigu. The latter while affirming that Russia will work closely with Vietnamese ministries and agencies to effectively implement agreements reached during recent high-level exchanges, expressed readiness to support Vietnam in ensuring energy security amid global uncertainties.

While Russia and Vietnam have had strong ties for long, the current visit of Chinh holds a prominent place in the current geopolitical context. It has salience for Vietnam for four reasons. First, it demonstrates Vietnam’s success in diversifying its foreign policy while maintaining an independent and balanced approach, unaffected by global turbulence. Second, it elevates cooperation in two important sectors – the nuclear and transport infrastructure. Third, it underscores that Vietnam’s relations with Russia remain robust despite its strategic partnerships with other major powers such as the United States, Japan, and South Korea. Fourth, it underlines Russia’s continued commitment to Vietnam, particularly in ensuring energy security in a volatile global environment. It indicates that Vietnam’s economic development will not be adversely affected by the West Asian conflict.

In essence, Chinh’s visit to Moscow has further strengthened the foundations of the Russia-Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. It represents a forward-looking engagement that not only reinforces traditional ties but also opens new avenues for cooperation in emerging sectors. In an era marked by uncertainty and shifting alignments, the agreements made during Chinh’s visit mirror both countries’ commitment to development, stability and strategic autonomy, based on mutual trust and mutual respect.

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