Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh arrived in Moscow on Sunday, beginning a four-day official visit focused on strengthening energy and trade ties with Russia, according to the Vietnamese government.
The visit, occurring at the invitation of Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, is expected to result in the signing of “essential agreements” concentrating on energy, trade and investment, a Vietnamese government statement indicated. Chinh is also scheduled to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, as well as Chairwoman of the Federation Council of Russia Valentina Matviyenko and Chairman of the State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin.
The timing of Chinh’s visit coincides with a period of rising fuel prices in Vietnam. Since the start of the U.S.-Israel war on Iran, gasoline prices have increased by 50% and diesel prices by 70%, creating economic pressure in the Southeast Asian nation.
Vietnam and Russia share a longstanding strategic partnership, with Russia serving as Vietnam’s primary supplier of military equipment. Russian energy companies are also actively involved in offshore oil and gas exploration projects within Vietnamese waters. The two nations have been engaged in discussions regarding the construction of Vietnam’s first nuclear power plant by a Russian company, and officials suggest a formal agreement on this project may be finalized during Chinh’s trip.
This marks the first visit by a high-ranking Vietnamese leader to Russia in 2026. The Vietnamese delegation accompanying Prime Minister Chinh includes Deputy Prime Ministers Tran Hong Ha and Bui Thanh Son, Minister-Chairman of the Government Office Tran Van Son, Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Manh Hung, and Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia Dang Minh Khoi.
The visit follows the recent completion of Vietnam’s 14th National Party Congress and the election of deputies to the 16th National Assembly, signaling a commitment to economic development and international cooperation.
The Vietnamese community in Russia was among those welcoming Prime Minister Chinh upon his arrival at Vnukovo-2 International Airport in Moscow, alongside Russian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrey Yurevich Rudenko and Russian Ambassador to Vietnam Gennady Stepanovich Bezdetko.
