Russian scholars highly valued Vietnam's position, role, and economic potential.

Russian scholars highly valued Vietnam's position, role, and economic potential during events held within the 8th Vietnam Day hosted by ASEAN Centre of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO) on April 28.

The event brought together crowds of lecturers and students from Russian universities.

Addressing at a hybrid seminar organised within the event, Andrei Anatolyevich Baikov, Vice-Rector for Research and Global Engagement at MGIMO, stressed that it focused on challenges emerging in the world today in all fields so as to seek solutions to boost all-round cooperation between Russia and Vietnam.

MGIMO will continue striving to contribute to further promoting relations between Russia and Vietnam and other ASEAN countries, he said.

Boldyrev Alexander Viktorovich from Zarubezhneft petroleum JSC of Russia reviewed the oil and gas cooperation between the two countries in general and between Zarubezhneft and Vietnam in particular, saying that the firm is not only an oil and gas cooperation partner with Vietnam but also a contributor to strengthening political relations between the two nations.

He pledged that Zarubezhneft will make more effort to further strengthen cooperation with the Vietnamese side.

A joint discussion between representatives of MGIMO’s ASEAN Centre and the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam, along with four thematic debates, was arranged after the opening session, during which participants proposed many specific solutions to further strengthen the Russia-Vietnam relations.

Rapporteurs mentioned difficulties and challenges in the current global political and economic context, while highly valuing Vietnam's international position, especialy Vietnam's role at the UN, the country’s effective foreign policies, and the potential of Vietnam's economy.

A book by Vershinina Valeria Valerevna - an expert from ASEAN Centre, which provides analysis and assessment on the formation and development of Vietnam's foreign policy, the country's approach to the process of globalisation and integration, as well as its important contributions and role in regional organisations, was introduced within the event which also included a photo exhibition, an art performance programme imbued with Vietnam’s culture, and a trade fair introducing Vietnamese brand products.