Expressing his appreciation to Evgeny Grigoriev, Chairman of the Saint Petersburg Committee for External Relations, for receiving members of Viet Nam’s inter-agency delegation during their participation in the 14th Saint Petersburg International Legal Forum, Minister Hoang Thanh Tung reaffirmed that Viet Nam attaches great importance to its traditional friendship and Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with Russia.
Over the 76 years since the two countries established diplomatic relations (January 30, 1950 - 2026), Viet Nam–Russia ties have continued to be strengthened and expanded despite significant changes in the regional and global landscape.
In particular, the outcomes of recent high-level exchanges, notably Russian President Vladimir Putin's state visit to Viet Nam in June 2024 and Party General Secretary To Lam’s official visit to Russia in May 2025, have provided fresh momentum for further broadening and deepening the Viet Nam–Russia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership across all fields.
Minister Hoang Thanh Tung highly appreciated Saint Petersburg's important role and longstanding contributions to promoting the traditional friendship between Viet Nam and Russia. He also recognised the city's standing as the host of a number of Russia's most prestigious international forums, including the Saint Petersburg International Legal Forum and the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum.
The Minister noted that during this visit, the Vietnamese delegation had once again been deeply impressed by the unique beauty of the city on the banks of the River Neva, its respect for historical and cultural heritage, and the warmth and hospitality of its authorities and people. These positive impressions, he said, further strengthened the friendship between the peoples of Viet Nam and Russia.
He stressed that, as the Viet Nam–Russia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership continues to flourish, Viet Nam hopes Saint Petersburg will further consolidate its role as one of Russia's leading centres for international engagement, while expanding cooperation with Vietnamese localities, educational institutions, research organisations and other agencies.
Welcoming the delegation, Evgeny Grigoriev, Chairman of the Saint Petersburg Committee for External Relations, spoke of his personal affection, as well as that of the people of Saint Petersburg, for Viet Nam.
Introducing the city's history and strengths, he emphasised that Viet Nam remains one of Saint Petersburg's foreign policy priorities. He also expressed his hope that multifaceted cooperation between Saint Petersburg and Vietnamese localities, as well as Viet Nam as a whole, would continue to become more substantive and in-depth.
At the meeting, Vyacheslav Kalganov, Deputy Chairman of the Saint Petersburg Committee for External Relations, said it was an honour to welcome Minister Hoang Thanh Tung and highly valued the significance of the visit, particularly as it took place just ahead of the 103rd anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh’s first arrival in Petrograd, now Saint Petersburg (June 30, 1923–2026).
Recalling previous cooperative activities, meetings and visits by Vietnamese delegations to Saint Petersburg, Kalganov expressed his gratitude for the support provided by Vietnamese partners in advancing relations between Saint Petersburg, Russia and Viet Nam.
Held in a warm and friendly atmosphere, the meeting also explored future areas of cooperation. Deputy Chairman Vyacheslav Kalganov expressed his wish to work with the Union of Vietnamese Organisations in Russia to promote a project to erect a monument in Viet Nam honouring former Soviet and Vietnamese experts, and hoped the Vietnamese side would continue to support the initiative.
Representatives of the Saint Petersburg Committee for External Relations, the city's legal authorities and Nguyen Khanh Ngoc, President of the Viet Nam Lawyers Association, also discussed directions for future cooperation.
