Russia's president visits Vietnam after North Korea trip

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Vietnam early Thursday following a trip to North Korea, the Kremlin said.

A statement issued by the Kremlin said that Putin will hold talks with Vietnam Communist Party Secretary General Nguyen Phu Trong.

Putin is also expected to meet students from Russia in Vietnam.

Before his visit, Putin said in an opinion piece for Nhan Dan, a Vietnamese newspaper, that significant developments had occurred in energy, trade and payments with Vietnam, which he praised for its balanced stance on the Russia-Ukraine war.

Since 2022, Russia, facing numerous Western sanctions, has been intensifying its relations with Asian countries.

During Putin's visit to North Korea, notable for being his first in 24 years, Russia and North Korea signed a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement.