Asso. Prof Maxim Syunnerberg from the Institute of Asian and African Studies at the Lomonosov Moscow State University has offered insights into the upcoming Vietnam visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin, highlighting the long-standing and positive relationship between the two countries.
Speaking to the Vietnam News Agency in Moscow, Syunnerberg said the year 2024 marks the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty on Principles of Friendly Relations between Russia and Vietnam (June 16), laying a legal foundation for bilateral ties in the modern era. Vietnam, he said, is a crucial partner of Russia in Southeast Asia and a strategic one in Asia.
He pointed out that bilateral ties predate the formal establishment of diplomatic relations in 1950, citing the fact that Tsar Nicholas II, then heir apparent, visited Vietnam in 1891. He further noted the historical connections – Vietnamese revolutionaries like President Ho Chi Minh studied in Russia, and Vietnamese volunteers joined the Soviet Red Army to fight Nazi Germany and defend Moscow during the Great Patriotic War in 1941.
Acknowledging the Soviet Union's vital role at the 1954 Geneva Conference and its unwavering support for Vietnam during the war against American imperialists, the scholar said the 1978 Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation with the Soviet Union ushered in an era of peace, development, and global integration for Vietnam.
He called President Putin's 2001 visit to Vietnam a pivotal moment for bilateral relations in the 21st century. Syunnerberg, then an intern in Vietnam, personally witnessed the warmth offered by both Vietnamese leaders and the public to the Russian leader. This upcoming visit marks Putin's fifth to Vietnam, solidifying his focus on the relationship.
The scholar drew a parallel between Putin's first Vietnam visit shortly after assuming office in 2001 and this upcoming one at the start of his new term. He said he believed the new momentum to be created will be particularly significant in light of Putin's positive image in Vietnam and the overall strength of the Vietnam-Russia ties.
