MOSCOW (Viory) Vietnam Deputy Prime Minister and National Defence Minister Phan Van Giang on Friday described Russia as Hanoi’s “key strategic partner” during high-level talks with Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu in Moscow.“We regard Russia as our key strategic partner. And I would like to see our relationship with Russia develop across the full spectrum of areas, including defence and security,” Giang said during the meeting.The Vietnamese deputy prime minister also praised Russia’s growing role on the global stage under the leadership of President Vladimir Putin.
During the talks, Shoigu said both countries were facing common security challenges requiring close co-operation and engagement. He noted that discussions covered a broad range of regional and international security issues, including developments in the Gulf, the conflict in Gaza, the situation in Lebanon, and the wider Asia-Pacific region.Earlier, Phan Van Giang paid tribute to soldiers who died during World War II by laying flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Moscow. He also held separate talks with Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov, where both sides reviewed ongoing defence co-operation and exchanged views on current military and political developments worldwide.
