HANOI, Vietnam — During a two-day visit to Hanoi, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin formalized an agreement aimed at enhancing collaboration in the field of nuclear energy. This agreement comes as Vietnam actively seeks to revitalize its nuclear energy initiatives, which were put on hold in 2016 due to escalating costs and substantial safety concerns. The Southeast Asian nation is looking to achieve energy independence and meet its target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
The agreement was established between Vietnam’s state-run power company, EVN, and Rosatom, the Russian government’s nuclear energy corporation. During his visit, Mishustin engaged in discussions with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, as well as other key figures such as To Lam, the head of Vietnam’s Communist Party, and Tran Thanh Man, the chairman of the National Assembly. “Vietnam is a significant ally of Russia in Southeast Asia,” Mishustin stated. “We intend to discuss a detailed cooperation plan between our countries that will extend up to 2030.” He is expected to meet with President Luong Cuong on the following day.
Alexey Likhachev, the general director of Rosatom, had already arrived in Hanoi on Monday and expressed the company’s readiness to assist Vietnam in establishing nuclear facilities and technology centers while also promoting the local adaptation of Russian nuclear technology, as reported by Vietnamese state media. Additionally, in a bid to strengthen its ties in Asia amid its increasing global isolation due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, Russia has agreed to provide Vietnam with a scientific research vessel for marine studies.
Mishustin, a technocratic leader who has kept a relatively low political profile, was reappointed as Prime Minister in 2024. This marks his inaugural visit to Vietnam, following President Vladimir Putin’s trip to Hanoi in June, where an agreement was made to advance a roadmap focusing on a nuclear science and technology center in the country.
The diplomatic relations between Hanoi and Moscow trace back to 1950, solidifying a decades-long alliance dating back to the Cold War era. This longstanding relationship is visible in various Vietnamese cities, characterized by the presence of Soviet-era apartment buildings nestled alongside modern skyscrapers. Despite a history of close collaboration, bilateral trade between the two nations amounted to just $3.6 billion in 2023, in stark contrast to trade figures with China at $171 billion and with the United States at $111 billion. Notably, while Russia has supplied around 80% of Vietnam’s arms exports since the early 2000s, this figure has been gradually decreasing as Vietnam endeavors to diversify its sources of military supplies.
