Top Vietnamese leader To Lam’s upcoming Russia, France visits to carry strategic significance

The top Vietnamese leader, his spouse, and a high-ranking delegation will pay a state visit to Russia and an official visit to France, and attend the International Space Summit in Paris from September 7 to 12.

The visits will be made at the invitations of Russian President Vladimir Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Vietnam-Russia cooperation set for breakthrough

This will be the first state visit to Russia by Vietnam’s top Party and state leader since 1991, according to Deputy Minister Hang.

The visit is expected to underscore the consistency, continuity, and high priority that Vietnam’s Party and state attach to its traditional friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership with Russia.

It will also reaffirm Vietnam’s independent, self-reliant, and resilient foreign policy.

The top leaders of the two countries are expected to hold extensive discussions on strategic issues, establish a long-term vision, and create a new milestone and political impetus for comprehensively elevating Vietnam-Russia relations.

Besides, the visit is expected to further consolidate political trust and strengthen the role of leader-level diplomacy by maintaining regular high-level exchanges between the two countries.

It will also generate breakthroughs in traditional areas of cooperation, particularly oil and gas and energy, including nuclear power.

In addition, the two sides aim to make economic, trade and investment cooperation, infrastructure connectivity and infrastructure development new drivers of bilateral ties.

The two countries are also expected to explore stronger air, maritime and rail connectivity and encourage businesses from both sides to participate in investment projects in each other’s markets.

Greater cooperation in science and technology, innovation and high-quality human-resource training is another anticipated outcome.

To strengthen the social and humanitarian foundations of bilateral relations, Vietnam and Russia will promote the teaching of Vietnamese and Russian, as well as exchanges among students, lecturers, artists and other groups.

Consolidating Vietnam-France ties, shaping space governance

Meanwhile, the visit to France will be To Lam's second official visit to the country and the second time Vietnam’s top Party and state leader has attended an international event hosted by France.

Unlike his previous visit, which involved the Francophonie Summit in October 2024, this year’s event is the world’s first summit at the head-of-state level dedicated to outer space.

The visit will reaffirm Vietnam’s special importance attached to its comprehensive strategic partnership with France and is expected to help the two countries become strategic gateways for each other in the European Union and ASEAN.

It will provide an important opportunity for the two sides to further strengthen political trust, establish a long-term vision and translate the comprehensive strategic partnership framework into concrete programs, projects and outcomes, beginning with the effective implementation of the 2026-28 Action Plan.

The two countries are also expected to seek stronger momentum in economic, trade and investment cooperation, while turning science and technology, innovation and digital transformation into new drivers of bilateral relations.

The two leaders will set important directions in strategic and sustainable-development areas, including new energy, green transition, climate change, transport and infrastructure, defense and security, and education and training.

Also, the visit is meant to inject fresh momentum into traditional areas of cooperation such as culture, healthcare, justice, agriculture and local-level cooperation.

At the multilateral level, the Vietnamese leader’s participation in the International Space Summit in Paris will demonstrate Vietnam’s development vision and proactive approach to international integration.

It will also represent the highest-level implementation of the Party’s major policies and orientations on foreign affairs, international integration, and the development of science, technology and innovation.

Deputy Minister Hang noted that Vietnam’s participation would enable it to engage at an early stage in shaping rules, standards and global governance mechanisms for emerging areas of outer-space activity, including space-monitoring systems, frequency management and space traffic.

The summit will also smooth the path for Vietnam to establish substantive contacts and cooperation with international partners in the space sector.