Russian Ambassador to Vietnam Gennady Bezdetko informs of Russia's current foreign relation priorities. (Photo: VNA)

The ambassador was speaking at a meeting in Hanoi on Russia’s current situation and its cooperation with Vietnam, held by the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations, the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Vietnam, and the Vietnam-Russia Friendship Association.

Bezdetko recalled a phone call on March 26 between Vietnam’s Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and Russian President Vladimir Putin, during which the two leaders discussed and agreed on several major orientations to step up bilateral cooperation in such areas as security-defense, trade, culture, and tourism.

Both sides are working on the details of President Putin’s upcoming visit to Vietnam, which is expected to create new momentum to deepen bilateral cooperation, he added. 

Vietnam and Russia are making efforts to effectively implement the Free Trade Agreement between the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and Vietnam and increase bilateral trade turnover to 10 billion USD by 2025, said Russia's trade representative in Vietnam Vyacheslav Kharinov at the event.

Many Russian businesses in high-tech and healthcare are looking to expand their presence in Vietnam, Kharinov added.