Minister of Defense, General Phan Van Giang begins working trip to Russia

General Phan Van Giang attended the International Military Technical Forum and the inauguration ceremony of the Monument to Vietnamese International Volunteers who participated in the defense of Moscow during the Great Patriotic War.

General Phan Van Giang and delegates offer flowers at the President Ho Chi Minh Monument in Moscow. (Photo: Duy Trinh/VNA)

At the invitation of Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov, on August 10, General Phan Van Giang, Politburo member, Deputy Secretary of the Central Military Commission, Minister of National Defense, led a high-ranking delegation of the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense to Moscow to attend the International Military Technical Forum (Army 2024), attend the inauguration ceremony of the Monument to Vietnamese International Volunteers who participated in the defense of Moscow during the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945), as well as hold talks with his counterpart from the host country.

According to VNA correspondent in Moscow, on the morning of August 11, General Phan Van Giang and a high-ranking delegation of the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense laid flowers at the Ho Chi Minh Monument in Moscow. The delegation observed a minute of silence for President Ho Chi Minh, expressing their infinite gratitude for his great contributions and sacrifices for the entire Party and people of our country. President Ho Chi Minh, who laid the foundation for the traditional friendship between Vietnam and Russia.

This is a familiar address for Vietnamese people in Russia on holidays, festivals or family happy days. Overseas Vietnamese people in Russia often come here to lay flowers in front of the statue of President Ho Chi Minh.

Minister Phan Van Giang and the delegation of the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense then visited the building next to the Kremlin, where Uncle Ho worked in Moscow from 1923 to 1924. Next, the delegation visited the Vietnamese Embassy in Russia.

Warmly welcoming the delegation of the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense, Vietnamese Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Russia Dang Minh Khoi informed about the socio-economic situation of Russia, the life of overseas Vietnamese here and the results of the Embassy's performance of tasks in recent times.

Speaking at the meeting, General Phan Van Giang expressed his joy at visiting the Embassy; highly appreciated the Embassy's contributions in promoting Vietnam-Russia relations; and thanked the attention and close coordination of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in general and the Vietnamese Embassy in Russia in particular, including the role of the Ambassador, in consolidating and enhancing bilateral defense cooperation.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia Dang Minh Khoi informed the delegation about the socio-economic situation in Russia and the lives of overseas Vietnamese. (Photo: Duy Trinh/VNA)

Regarding this working trip, General Phan Van Giang emphasized that on the basis of the good traditional friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries, the Vietnam-Russia defense cooperation continues to be effectively implemented in the spirit of "trust, practicality, efficiency, and comprehensiveness," in all important areas such as delegation exchanges, especially high-level delegations; training and coaching; military technology; cooperation at the military, service, and unit levels; cooperation within the framework of the Vietnam-Russia Tropical Center; military-political cooperation; coordination in international multilateral activities, at multilateral defense mechanisms and forums.

General Phan Van Giang hopes to continue receiving support and assistance from the Embassy as well as the Ambassador in further strengthening and consolidating the defense cooperation relationship to become increasingly in-depth, effective and substantive, thereby contributing more to the overall traditional friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries; continue to coordinate and create conditions for the Defense Attaché Office to effectively perform its assigned tasks, further promoting its role as a bridge between the two countries' Defense Ministries.

General Phan Van Giang believes that the embassy staff will overcome all difficulties, unite, complete the tasks assigned by the Party and State, and contribute more to promoting relations between the two countries./.

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