Putin arrived from North Korea, and his first official activity in Hanoi will take place at noon, when he will be given a welcome ceremony at the Presidential Palace. At the end of the protocol event, Putin will talk with his Vietnamese counterpart, To Lam, with whom he will later witness the signing of various agreements, according to the program released by the Department of Press and Information of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Afterward, the Russian leader will meet with the Vietnamese Prime Minister, Pham Minh Chinh, and after with the general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Nguyen Phu Trong.

The afternoon program will continue with visits to the Martyrs’ Monument and the Mausoleum where the mortal remains of President Ho Chi Minh rest, to whom they will pay tribute.

Next, Putin and his entourage, which includes Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko, among others, will pay a courtesy visit to the president of the National Assembly, Tran Tanh Man, before meeting with leaders of the Association of Vietnam-Russia Friendship and Vietnamese graduates in Russia.

Finally, the Russian head of state will attend a state banquet in his honor before returning to Russia.

Putin has already traveled to Vietnam on four other occasions: in March 2001 he made an official visit; in November 2006 he participated in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum (APEC) held in the capital; in November 2013 he made a state visit; and in November 2017 he attended the APEC Summit in the city of Da Nang.

According to official perception, Putin’s fifth visit to Vietnam has extreme significance, as it will further deepen bilateral relations in all fields, in a context in which the two countries strive to materialize the Joint Declaration on the Vision of Comprehensive Strategic Partnership until 2030.

jrr/llp/jf/mpm