To Lam and his wife prepare for visits to Russia and France

Vietnamese Party General Secretary and State President To Lam and his wife, Ngo Phuong Ly, are preparing for a diplomatic tour of Russia and France from Sept. 7 to 12.

The couple will make a state visit to Russia at the invitation of President Vladimir Putin, followed by an official visit to France and participation in a space summit in Paris at the invitation of President Emmanuel Macron.

The Russia visit comes as Hanoi and Moscow describe their relationship as strong, supported by traditional friendship, historic ties and high political trust. High-level exchanges have increased notably over the past three years, including Putin’s state visit to Vietnam in June 2024 and To Lam’s official visit to Russia in May 2025, when he attended commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of victory in the Great Patriotic War.

The upcoming trip reflects the two sides’ determination to reposition and elevate their comprehensive strategic partnership for a new period. Vietnamese and Russian leaders have identified energy cooperation, including nuclear power and oil and gas, as a key pillar of bilateral ties. Despite wider challenges, two-way economic cooperation has remained relatively stable, while local and business networks have expanded.

In France, To Lam will make his second official visit. His October 2024 trip helped mark the elevation of Vietnam-France relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership, opening wider cooperation in politics, economics, defence, culture, education and sustainable development. Macron and his wife later made a state visit to Vietnam in May 2025. The new visit is expected to further consolidate ties and expand cooperation.