Russian President Vladimir Putin has stressed the importance of expanding his country’s strategic partnership with Vietnam.

He expressed his thoughts at talks with Vietnamese President To Lam on the first day of his state visit to the south-east Asian country.

The Russian leader also invited Lam to participate in commemorations in Moscow next year, marking the 80th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.

The Russian state news agency TASS reported on Thursday.

Mr Putin arrived in Hanoi late on Wednesday after a visit to North Korea.

He is expected to attend a state banquet on Thursday after meetings with Nguyen Phu Trong, the general secretary of the country’s ruling Communist Party, and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.

Having been isolated on the international stage, Putin plans to shore up support from Russia’s remaining allies.

Commentators suggest his brief tour of Vietnam and North Korea is of practical and symbolic importance.

“Putin’s trip to Vietnam will reinvigorate their comprehensive strategic partnership and shore up economic relations through trade and investment commitments by adopting a rouble-đồng currency exchange mechanism for goods and services payments,’’ Vietnam expert Carl Thayer, an emeritus professor of politics at the University of New South Wales in Australia, said.

Another item on the agenda could be Russia’s war with Ukraine.

The Ukrainian ambassador in Hanoi, Oleksandr Haman, told dpa that he did not expect Vietnam to abandon its neutral stance in the conflict.

During his stay in Hanoi, Mr Putin stays at The Sofitel Metropole, a French-owned hotel.

Before his arrival, a Russian-chartered jumbo jet shipped in limousines for Putin’s use throughout his visit.

(dpa/NAN)