Putin arrives in Vietnam as Russia seeks support in Ukraine war

June 20 (UPI) – Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Vietnam on Wednesday, where he continues to seek support from communist-led Asian states in his war against Ukraine.

Ostracized from much of the democratic world, Russia has steadily and increasingly severed its relations with Moscow since February 2022, when it brought the war back to Europe with the invasion of Kyiv.

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The breakaway came with a raft of sanctions targeting Russia and its war-making capabilities. Together, they have damaged the country’s economy and forced it to buy weapons from North Korea and Iran to replenish its arsenals. Fears are also growing that China, another communist country, could provide aid to the Kremlin.

Putin’s visit to Hanoi comes after his trip to Pyongyang, his first to the isolated country since 2000. He signed a NATO-like defense agreement with North Korea, according to which the two countries would support each other in the event of an attack.

In Hanoi, Putin and Vietnamese President To Lam signed 15 documents on Thursday that, according to a Kremlin statement, cover a range of areas of cooperation, from education to investment.

“I would like to stress that Russia attaches great importance to further strengthening traditionally friendly, comprehensive strategic relations and strategic partnership with Vietnam,” Putin told Lam during a press conference, according to a transcript from the Kremlin.

“These relations continue to develop gradually in a spirit of equality, mutual respect and consideration of each other’s interests.”

The press conference took place following the negotiations, which Putin described as “constructive and objective.”

The topic of Ukraine was apparently not mentioned directly. Putin stated that their positions on a number of regional issues “largely coincide” or are close to each other.

Lam congratulated Putin on his re-election this spring, which was widely criticized as illegitimate, while saying Vietnam was “very pleased” with the strengthening of political and social stability in Russia.

“Our state, our people and I personally always attach great importance to the development of relations between our countries and we are also very grateful for your support for relations between our countries and towards Vietnam,” Lam said, according to a transcript from the Kremlin.

He added that Vietnam pursues an independent and peaceful foreign policy, but at the same time attaches “great importance to the development of traditional friendship and a comprehensive strategic partnership with Russia.”

“We view Russia as one of Vietnam’s foreign policy priorities,” he said.