Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam always attachesimportance to the comprehensive strategic partnership with Russia, ForeignMinister Bui Thanh Son told his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on April 27.

During his phone talks with the Russian minister, Son affirmedthat Russia is among leading important partners in Vietnam’s foreign policy, andcongratulated the country on its success in containing COVID-19, especially in vaccine research and production.

Despite the pandemic, Vietnam and Russia havemaintained exchanges, with many phone talks held between their high-ranking leaders,contributing to promoting the bilateral cooperation across spheres, Son said.

The ministers discussed Vietnam-Russia collaboration,covering politics-diplomacy, security-national defence, economy-trade, investment,energy-oil and gas, and COVID-19 prevention and control.

They also compared notes on cooperation between thetwo foreign ministries and coordination between the two countries at multilateralforums, including the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and ASEAN.

Both expressed their hope to well organise activities during the Vietnam-Russia and Russia-Vietnam Year in 2021.

Minister Son used the occasion to thank Russia for supportingVietnam’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2020, and non-permanent membership of the UNSC for2020-2021.

Vietnam is willing to closely coordinate with Russiaand other ASEAN countries in organising activities marking the 25th anniversaryof the ASEAN-Russia relations (1996-2021), Son said.

For his part, the Russian minister lauded Vietnam’s performancein external affairs, as well as the country’s increasingly impressive role inregional and international arena.

On this occasion, Lavrov invited Son to visit Russia ata convenient time. The Vietnamese minister accepted the invitation withpleasure./.