Russian Defense Minister Andrey Removich Belousov affirmed his readiness to consider cooperation proposals from the Vietnamese Ministry of Defense , especially in training and cooperation between agencies and units.
During his visit to the Russian Federation to attend the ARMY-2024 International Military Technical Forum, on August 13th, General Phan Van Giang, Member of the Political Bureau, Deputy Secretary of the Central Military Commission, and Minister of National Defense, held talks with the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation, Andrey Removich Belousov.
According to the VNA correspondent in the Russian Federation, at the talks, Minister Phan Van Giang emphasized that this visit by the high-level delegation of the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense aims to concretize the policy of "deepening" the traditional friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership that was agreed upon by the high-level leaders of the two countries during the State visit of the President of the Russian Federation to Vietnam in June 2024.
Minister Phan Van Giang affirmed that Vietnam has always consistently pursued its foreign policy of "independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, and cooperative development; multilateralization and diversification of relations; being a friend, a reliable partner, and an active and responsible member of the international community"; remaining steadfast and loyal in international relations, valuing neighborly relations and traditional friendships with other countries. Among these, the traditionally good friendship between Vietnam and the Russian Federation cannot be overlooked.
Minister Phan Van Giang clearly stated Vietnam's "four no's" national defense policy and stance, aiming for peace, self-defense, and protecting the homeland from early on and from afar.
Minister Phan Van Giang emphasized that the Vietnamese people and the People's Army of Vietnam will always remember the sincere and selfless assistance that the Russian Federation provided to Vietnam in the past struggle for national reunification and in the subsequent process of national construction and defense.
The inauguration of the Monument to the Vietnamese International Volunteer Soldiers who fought to defend Moscow during the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945) is a symbol and testament to the traditional relationship between the two countries, in which defense cooperation is an important pillar.
Minister Phan Van Giang highly appreciated the preparation and organization of the Army-2024 International Military Technical Forum by the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation and expressed confidence that the success of the forum would further strengthen the prestige and position of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation in particular, and of Russia in general.
In December 2024, the Vietnamese Ministry of Defence organized the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Vietnam People's Army and the Vietnam International Defence Exhibition 2024. Minister Phan Van Giang respectfully invited the Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation to attend and hoped to receive the support and active participation of the leaders of the Russian Ministry of Defence and Russian defence enterprises.
Minister Andrey Removich Belousov emphasized the long-standing traditional friendship between Vietnam and the Russian Federation, and highly appreciated and valued the policy of deepening the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries, as defined during the recent State visit of President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation to Vietnam.
Minister Andrey Removich Belousov affirmed his readiness to consider cooperation proposals from the Vietnamese Ministry of Defense, especially in training and cooperation between agencies and units; and agreed to promote the signing of cooperation documents between the two sides in the near future.
In addition, Minister Andrey Removich Belousov supported promoting cooperation in new areas that are appropriate to the capabilities and conditions of each country.
During the talks, the two sides exchanged views on the global and regional situation and issues of mutual interest.
In addressing the South China Sea issue, Minister Phan Van Giang emphasized Vietnam's consistent stance of persistently pursuing the principle of resolving all disputes and disagreements through peaceful means, based on international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS); international and regional commitments such as the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC); and supporting the early signing of a substantive, effective, and legally binding Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC).
Regarding bilateral cooperation, the two Ministers assessed that, in recent times, building on the foundation of the good traditional friendship, comprehensive strategic partnership, and the attention of high-level leaders of both countries, bilateral defense cooperation has continued to be implemented in the spirit of "trust, practicality, effectiveness, and comprehensiveness," in accordance with cooperation documents and agreements, especially the Joint Vision Statement on Vietnam-Russia defense cooperation for the period 2020-2025, achieving many important and outstanding results in the following areas: exchange of delegations at all levels; maintaining the effectiveness of cooperation mechanisms, especially the strategic defense dialogue mechanism at the Deputy Minister level; training; cooperation between military branches; effective coordination and consultation at international multilateral defense mechanisms and forums, especially those led by ASEAN, including ADMM+...
Minister Phan Van Giang highly appreciated the interest and participation of the Russian Federation's Ministry of Defense in scientific research cooperation within the framework of the Vietnam-Russia Tropical Center, making an important contribution to the development of the Center into a regional-level scientific research facility, worthy of being a symbol of cooperation between the two countries.
Regarding future cooperation directions, the two Ministers agreed that both sides will continue to coordinate and promote defense cooperation, focusing on several areas: exchange of delegations at all levels; continued effective maintenance of existing cooperation mechanisms; human resource training; cooperation between military branches; scientific research cooperation within the framework of the Vietnam-Russia Tropical Center; effective coordination and consultation at multilateral mechanisms and forums; political and military cooperation based on the Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation between the General Political Department of the Vietnam People's Army and the General Political Department of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation; and promoting the completion of the dossier "70 years of Vietnam-Soviet Union/Russian Federation defense cooperation 1950-2020".../.
