President Tran Dai Quang and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the joint press conference (Photo: Viet Cuong/ VOV)

The statement noted the two leaders agreed to maintain regular and practical political consultation at all levels, as well as effective meetings through the channels of Party, parliament, ministries, sectors, localities and social organizations. The two sides concurred to work for the efficient implementation of the free trade agreement between Vietnam and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) that was signed in 2015, and related documents. The two countries will foster collaboration in promising areas, including oil refinery and petrochemistry, supplying liquefied petroleum gas for Vietnam, producing and selling fuel for gas-fuelled vehicles in Vietnam.

The two presidents underscored the importance of cooperation in defense and military technology, as well as coordination of actions in defense-security without harming any third party.

The two leaders stressed the need to closely coordinate at multinational forums where international security issues such as weapon control, disarmament, and non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction are discussed. They shared the view that border and territorial disputes and other conflicts in the Asia-Pacific region should be settled by peaceful means without the use of or threat to use force and on the basis of international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, in order to ensure peace, stability and security in the region. The two countries back the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea as well as the early formation of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea.

The two Presidents confirmed their continuous cooperation at other multilateral mechanisms such as the ASEAN Forum, the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting Plus, the Asia Europe Forum, the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia, and the Asia Cooperation Dialogue to foster multilateral principles to address socio-economic development tasks and assure security in the Asia-Pacific region and promote inter-regional cooperation.