Four times Russian President Putin visited Vietnam

Russian President Vladimir Putin has visited Vietnam four times. Each visit marked an important milestone in the relationship between the two countries.

At the invitation of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, from June 19-20, President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin will pay a State visit to Vietnam. This is the President's second State visit to Vietnam and also his fifth visit to Vietnam as President. The first visit took place in 2001, one year after he assumed the leadership of Russia. From February 28 to March 2, 2001, Russian President Putin paid an official friendship visit to Vietnam, at the invitation of President Tran Duc Luong. During the visit, the two heads of state issued a Joint Statement on the strategic partnership between the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the Russian Federation. Mr. Putin also had notable activities such as visiting the Stilt House of President Ho Chi Minh at the Presidential Palace, the Temple of Literature and meeting with Vietnamese people who had studied in Russia. Recording his impressions while visiting Uncle Ho's Stilt House, President Putin wrote: "I sincerely got to know the life of the great teacher of the Vietnamese people - a person whose name has remained in world history."

Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Tran Duc Luong after the signing ceremony of the Joint Declaration on the strategic partnership between the two countries (Hanoi, 2001). Photo: Sergey Velichkin, Vladimir Rodionov/TASS

President Tran Duc Luong and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the Joint Declaration on the Strategic Partnership between the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the Russian Federation, March 1, 2001. Photo: VNA

Left photo: On March 1, 2001, in Hanoi, President Tran Duc Luong presented the Ho Chi Minh Medal to Russian President Putin. Photo: VNA - Right photo: Russian President beats drums while visiting the Temple of Literature on March 2, 2001. Photo: Kremlin.ru

The second time was in 2006 , at the invitation of President Nguyen Minh Triet, President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin paid an official visit to Vietnam and attended the 14th APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting. The two heads of state signed the "Joint Statement of the President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the President of the Russian Federation on continued cooperation in the field of geological exploration and oil and gas exploitation", and witnessed the signing of cooperation documents. During this visit, President Putin met with General Secretary Nong Duc Manh, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, and Chairman of the National Assembly Nguyen Phu Trong.

President Putin reviews the honor guard of the Vietnam People's Army. Photo: Kremlin.ru

President Nguyen Minh Triet and Russian President signed a Joint Statement on cooperation in the field of geological exploration and oil and gas exploitation between the two countries, November 20, 2006, in Hanoi. Photo: VNA

President Nguyen Minh Triet reads the Joint Statement at the closing session of the 14th APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting on the afternoon of November 19, 2006. President Putin (standing in the back row, 4th from right) and APEC economic leaders in Vietnamese ao dai. Photo: VNA

President Putin and Australian Prime Minister John Howard attend the 14th APEC summit. Photo: Kremlin.ru

For the third time in 2013 , at the invitation of President Truong Tan Sang, President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin paid a State visit to Vietnam on November 12, 2013. This was Mr. Putin's first State visit to Vietnam. A few days before the visit, on November 7, 2013 in St. Petersburg (Russia), the signing ceremony of the Minutes of Handover of the first submarine named "Hanoi" took place in the contract to supply 6 submarines of Project 636 Varshavyanka class from Russia to Vietnam. During the visit, the President held talks with President Truong Tan Sang; met with General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung. President Vladimir Putin laid a wreath at the Monument to the Heroes and Martyrs; laid a wreath at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum; witnessed the signing of a series of important cooperation documents in many fields to strengthen cooperation in politics, defense, trade and energy...

On November 12, 2013, Russian President Vladimir Putin paid a state visit to Vietnam. President Truong Tan Sang and President Putin reviewed the honor guard of the Vietnam People's Army. Photo: VNA

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang at the opening ceremony of the Russian Cultural Days, Hanoi, 2013. Photo: TASS

On the afternoon of November 12, 2013, at the Party Central Committee Headquarters, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong warmly received President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin. Photo: VNA

For the fourth time in 2017 , on November 10, 2017, Russian President Putin came to Da Nang to attend the APEC Summit 2017 and other activities within the framework of the APEC Summit Week 2017. President Tran Dai Quang had a bilateral meeting with President Putin. At that time, President Putin sympathized with the Vietnamese people about the damage caused by storm No. 12 and highly appreciated Vietnam's proactiveness and positivity in its role as APEC Host in 2017. The two sides agreed to issue a Joint Statement on cooperation in the field of ensuring international information security.

On the morning of November 10, 2017, the plane carrying the Russian President landed at Da Nang airport. Photo: VGP

President Tran Dai Quang and leaders of major economies such as US President Donald Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin after a closed-door meeting on November 11, 2017. Photo: VNA

President Tran Dai Quang shakes hands with Russian President Putin at the APEC Summit on November 10, 2017. Photo: VNA