Relations with Vietnam a priority for Russia

Relations with Vietnam is one of Russia’s foreign policy priorities, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said. At the meeting with his Vietnamese counterpart Fung Kwan Thani on Wednesday, Shoigu said: “We consider your country a strategic partner and an long established and reliable friend.” “Military and political situation in the world and in the Asia Pacific Region is aggravating. The situation in certain volatile spots may escalate and new conflicts may arise,” Russian minister said, adding that “military and military-technical cooperation is of paramount significance.” Both countries “do their best to intensify military and military-technical cooperation”, Shoigu said. “Personnel training, cooperation between fleets, dialogue regarding strategic defence, exchange of delegations and joint scientific ventures play an important role. Moreover, Vietnam is one of the key importers of Russian weapons,” the minister said. Talks with the Vietnamese delegation “allow us to sum up the results of the work when the defence ministers met in Hanoi in March. The main agenda is establishing plans for further cooperation”, Shoigu said.