Reported 8 months ago
In contrast to the grandeur of his recent visit to North Korea earlier this week, Russian President Putin's reception in Vietnam was relatively low-key, greeted by lower-ranking ministers at the airport yet managing to secure multiple bilateral cooperation agreements in education, healthcare, fossil fuels, and establishing a nuclear technology center. Documented publicly excluding defense-related deals, Vietnam's secretive transactions with Russia raise concerns, particularly in light of Washington's condemnation and perceptions of aligning with Moscow amid the Ukraine conflict. While Vietnam asserts neutrality, avoiding alliances with the US or China, concerns arise over potential arms deals and financial evasion through a joint oil venture to modernize its military beyond annual defense budgets and circumvent US sanctions. Washington and Hanoi refuse to comment on the leaked 2023 secret deal aiming to shift away from dollar transactions to avoid CAATSA sanctions, amidst suspicions of undisclosed multi-billion dollar weapons agreements with Russia. Central to Putin's visit are security concerns, yet economic focuses dominate media discussions, potentially impacting Vietnam's strategic choices vis-à-vis Russia and China amidst shifting global alliances.
Source: YAHOO