Putin could go to Vietnam to debate army cooperation Scholar: The USA just isn’t anticipated to dominate Vietnam.

Russian President Vladimir Putin will go to Hanoi, Vietnam this week, and Vietnam has not despatched anybody to the Ukraine peace summit, inflicting dissatisfaction and criticism from the US. Nevertheless, the students who had been interviewed don’t consider that the US will punish Vietnam for this.

The Kremlin stated on Monday (June 17) that Putin will go to Vietnam for 2 days on Wednesday (nineteenth) after visiting North Korea. Vietnamese officers stated Putin will meet with Vietnamese President To Lam and different leaders whereas in Hanoi.

Two officers who spoke on situation of anonymity informed Reuters that Russia and Vietnam are anticipated to announce agreements in areas equivalent to commerce, funding, know-how and schooling, however talks between the 2 international locations’ leaders are prone to concentrate on extra delicate points. One of many officers stated the talks included arms, vitality and fee choices.

Relations between Russia and Vietnam could be traced again to the Soviet period, and the 2 international locations have all the time maintained good relations. Vietnam depends on Russia for weapons, together with plane and Kilo diesel-powered submarines. The Baihu Oilfield operated by Vietsovpetro is likely one of the largest oilfields in Southeast Asia and has been in operation for about 40 years.

Thayer, an emeritus professor of political science on the College of New South Wales in Australia and an knowledgeable on Vietnam, stated: “The principle points mentioned by either side embrace strengthening financial and commerce ties, together with arms gross sales.”

He stated Putin and Vietnamese leaders might conform to conduct ruble-vnd forex transactions by the banking system to pay for items and providers.

Forward of Putin’s go to to Vietnam, Hanoi didn’t ship officers to attend the Ukraine peace summit held in Switzerland final weekend, however despatched its deputy international minister to the BRICS assembly in Russia.

The USA expressed robust dissatisfaction with Putin’s go to to Vietnam. A spokesman for the US Embassy in Hanoi informed Reuters: “No nation ought to give Putin a platform to advertise his warfare of aggression or perform routine atrocities.”

“If he was in a position to journey freely, he might normalize Russia’s flagrant violations of worldwide legislation. “

The Worldwide Felony Court docket in The Hague issued an arrest warrant for Putin final March, accusing him of warfare crimes in Ukraine. Vietnam just isn’t a member of the Worldwide Felony Court docket, so it could ignore the arrest warrant.

The European Union, one other necessary financial accomplice of Vietnam, didn’t touch upon Putin’s go to to Vietnam. Nevertheless, the EU expressed dissatisfaction final month with Hanoi’s choice to cancel a gathering with the EU’s particular envoy on Russian sanctions.

Vietnam is strategically necessary to the US and Washington won’t management Hanoi

Final yr, US President Joe Biden and Chinese language President Xi Jinping visited Vietnam. After Biden’s go to to Vietnam, the US and Vietnam developed their bilateral relationship right into a complete strategic partnership.

Ian Storey, a senior fellow on the Yusof Issa Institute of Southeast Asian Research in Singapore, stated in an interview with Lianhe Zaobao that from Hanoi’s perspective, Putin’s go to to Vietnam “reveals that Vietnam is pursuing a coverage of to not favor any nice nation. “A Balanced Overseas Coverage.”

“People know that Vietnam and Russia have long-standing and secure diplomatic relations. Since Putin’s go to comes 9 months after Biden’s go to to Vietnam, People won’t be so unfair. Nevertheless, if Russia and Vietnam signal main army contracts throughout Putin’s go to, Settlement , the US could react negatively. “

Talking of the US response, Storey believes that Washington won’t impose punitive sanctions on Vietnam due to Vietnam’s significance to the US within the Indo-Pacific area and Vietnam’s dependence on Russia to to take care of its armed forces.