Few nations hold such a deep place in the hearts of the Vietnamese people as Russia and its people. Even those Vietnamese who have never set foot in the land of birch trees still hold strong affection for the country and its people. This sincere sentiment, built on trust and mutual understanding, has become a guiding thread and a strong bond connecting the two nations, forming a solid foundation for the comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and the Russian Federation.
A special relationship
For tens of thousands of Vietnamese officials, scientists, and leaders who once lived and studied in Russia, their time in the land of birch trees remains an unforgettable and cherished memory despite the passage of many years. At a recent event held in Hanoi, Member of the Party Central Committee and Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha shared that he was fortunate to study, conduct research, and grow during his vibrant youth in the beautiful country of Russia. Although many years have passed, the images of exemplary teachers, kind-hearted Russian mothers, and sincere classmates who shared joys and hardships remain vivid in his mind. These beautiful, indelible memories of Russia and its people have always accompanied not only him but also generations of Vietnamese who once studied and lived in the Soviet Union and the Russian Federation.
Delegates attend the first Vietnam–Russia People's Forum. (Photo: Dinh Hoa)
According to Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha, the close friendship between the peoples of Vietnam and Russia is a special relationship with a long historical tradition. It has been tempered through the ups and downs of time and carefully nurtured by many generations of leaders and citizens of both countries. The seeds of this relationship were sown early when leader Nguyen Ai Quoc, after many years searching for a path to national salvation, found in the October Revolution “the path to liberation for nations and for humanity." On June 30, 1923, he set foot in the city of Petrograd - now Saint Petersburg - marking the beginning of a historic connection that guided the Vietnamese revolution along the victorious path of the great October Revolution and brought the peoples of Vietnam and Russia closer together.
Looking back at the most difficult years in the nation's history, when the young Democratic Republic of Vietnam faced grave challenges during the resistance war against French colonialism, the Soviet Union became one of the first countries in the world to recognize and officially establish diplomatic relations with Vietnam on January 30, 1950. This courageous decision was an invaluable political victory that helped break the blockade and isolation against Vietnam. It served as a powerful source of encouragement and created momentum for decisive victories on both military and diplomatic fronts. From that foundation, the sincere, strong, and effective support of the Soviet people became an inseparable part of the Vietnamese people's struggle to defend their homeland.
The friendship between the two nations was not only forged in the flames of war but also shone brightly during the period of peace and national construction. With the assistance of Russian experts, Vietnam transformed from a backward agricultural country into one with modern economic sectors. Landmark projects such as the Thang Long Bridge and the Hoa Binh Hydropower Plant are not only symbols of industrialization but also enduring symbols of Vietnam–Russia friendship. Oil and gas cooperation, spearheaded by the Vietsovpetro joint venture and later Rusvietpetro, has become an effective pillar bringing strategic benefits to both countries.
Today, that flow of cooperation continues to expand and diversify across many fields. Vietnamese enterprises, such as the TH Group with its USD 2.7 billion investment project in Russia, not only contribute to the economic development of their partner country but also write new success stories, demonstrating a comprehensive, substantive, and increasingly deep partnership.
“Looking back over the past 75 years, we have every right to be proud of a glorious history and of a traditional friendship and special solidarity that has been tempered through the most difficult trials of history. It is this profound strategic trust and unwavering loyalty that form the solid foundation for us to open a new era of cooperation—more comprehensive and stronger than ever before," Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha emphasized.
Practical contributions of people-to-people diplomacy
However, it must also be acknowledged that the current international context poses significant challenges for both Vietnam and the Russian Federation. Geopolitical competition among countries and groups of countries is intensifying. Conflicts are becoming increasingly complex, bringing both traditional and non-traditional challenges and risks.
In this context, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to Vietnam, Gennady Stepanovich Bezdetko, emphasized the role of people-to-people diplomacy as an important bridge that helps nurture friendship, enhance mutual understanding, and effectively contribute to bilateral cooperation programs and projects, while strengthening international relations.
Sharing this view, Phan Anh Son, President of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations (VUFO), stated that people's friendship organizations serve as a special and enduring bridge, helping consolidate a strong social foundation for bilateral relations and allowing Vietnam–Russia friendship to deeply permeate the lives and hearts of the peoples of both countries.
According to VUFO President Phan Anh Son, with the goal of creating an effective dialogue mechanism to further deepen mutual understanding and trust between the peoples of the two countries, VUFO initiated the Vietnam–Russia People's Forum in coordination with relevant agencies from both Russia and Vietnam. The forum provides an opportunity for both sides to review the historical journey of bilateral relations, reaffirm the core values and principles underlying the friendship, solidarity, and mutual support between Vietnam and the Russian Federation; exchange measures to promote people-to-people exchanges and strengthen trust and understanding between the two nations; and discuss potential areas of cooperation, thereby further enriching the substance of the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.
With the success of the first Vietnam–Russia people's forum (held from September 30 to October 1), the VUFO President expressed confidence that the forum will become a new, effective, and annual dialogue mechanism—a vivid testament to the enduring friendship between the two peoples, regardless of changes in the global and regional landscape.
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