President Tran Dai Quang is visiting Russia to boost relations with Vietnam (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam and Russia should further enhance economic ties to match with their potential, said Professor Vladimir N Kolotov, Head of the Far East History Department - St. Petersburg State University. In a recent interview on the occasion of President Tran Dai Quang’s visit to Russia, the Professor said Vietnam and Russia are comprehensive strategic partners and more importantly the two countries boast a long-standing friendship. He said Vietnam and Russia have sound political relations and share similar viewpoints on international affairs. However, bilateral economic ties have yet to live up to expectations. He urged the two sides to exert more effort to disseminate accurate information on the development situation in their respective countries and around the world. He said few Russian people know that Vietnam has developed strongly in recent years, with remarkable economic accomplishments. Therefore, the visit to Russia by President Quang is an important event in the two countries’ relations. The scholar pinned high hope on the visit and expected Vietnamese and Russian leaders to seek measures to propel bilateral relations forward.