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.