At the meeting (Source: VNA).

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov expressed his pleasure with the two countries’ comprehensive strategic partnership in various fields while acknowledging the two sides’ maintenance of political dialogues at a high level, and close cooperation between legislative agencies, ministries, sectors and social organizations.

He highlighted the two countries’ coordination in the international arena as well as the growing economic and trade ties between Vietnam and Russia.

Morgulov spoke highly of the outcomes of the implementation of the free trade agreement between Vietnam and the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).

Vietnam is one of Russia’s leading partners in ASEAN. Trade between Russia and Vietnam rose 15% in the first quarter of 2018. The two sides worked to increased bilateral investment by implementing priority projects in education, science, culture and tourism, he said.

He stressed the close cooperation between the two foreign ministries, saying the Russian side highly valued the strategic dialogue mechanism at the ministerial level.

Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, for his part, agreed with his Russian counterpart Morgulov’s view on the strategic relations between the two countries, stressing that it is growing.

Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son.

He highlighted the close cooperation between the two countries as well as the two foreign ministries.

Regarding the ongoing World Cup 2018, he congratulated Russia on its successfully hosting of the global sports event, thus raising the position and image of Russia in international friends’ eyes.

At the dialogue, the two sides agreed to focus their discussion on preparations for Vietnamese senior leaders’ visit to Russia later this year.

Source: NDO/VNA