To Lam’s Russia and France Tour: What It Delivered for Vietnam

Vietnamese General Secretary and President To Lam’s September 7–12, 2026 visits to Russia and France combined diplomatic signaling with a practical economic agenda. In Moscow, the emphasis was on renewing a long-established strategic relationship. In Paris, the focus shifted toward technology, energy, aerospace, transport and space cooperation. Together, the stops showed Vietnam seeking a wider range of partners, capabilities and markets. 4611

Russia: reaffirming a comprehensive strategic partnership

During To Lam’s state visit to Russia, he held talks with President Vladimir Putin and the two countries issued a joint statement on further strengthening the Vietnam–Russia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership “in the new era.” 56

The agenda covered energy, oil and gas, nuclear-power cooperation, transport and rail links, research, science and technology. These areas matter because they connect Vietnam’s development needs—from energy security and industrial capacity to infrastructure—with fields where Russia has longstanding experience. 4

The immediate result was political direction and a renewed framework for cooperation, rather than a public guarantee that every discussed project will proceed. The value of the visit will depend on commercial terms, financing, technology access and the broader constraints facing cross-border projects.

France: moving the partnership toward technology and industry

In Paris, To Lam and President Emmanuel Macron reaffirmed the implementation of the Vietnam–France Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. They agreed to make science and technology a new key pillar of bilateral relations, alongside cooperation in energy and aerospace. 1112

That shift gives the partnership a more concrete economic purpose. Vietnamese and French officials discussed expanded scientific research, space science, technology transfer and Vietnamese technological capabilities, including interest in quantum technology. 11

The visit also brought agreements and cooperation instruments in fields including aviation, civil security, health, critical minerals, rail-related infrastructure and transport. 17 The involvement of companies such as Airbus, Thales and Alstom connected high-level diplomacy to potential industrial, aerospace and infrastructure cooperation.

Space cooperation became a strategic theme

To Lam attended the International Space Summit in Paris and proposed a “Space for Development and Resilience” network. At the summit, he presented principles for multilateral space governance that stressed peaceful conduct, human needs and the protection of Earth. 10

For Vietnam, the practical importance of space cooperation lies in applications such as Earth observation, climate and water management, disaster resilience, agriculture and infrastructure planning. It also places satellite capability and data within a broader effort to build scientific and technological capacity.

Why energy, transport and technology were central

The Russia and France legs offered different, potentially complementary channels for Vietnam’s energy and industrial development. Russia was associated with discussion of oil and gas, energy and nuclear cooperation; France was positioned as a partner in energy, aerospace, rail modernization and scientific cooperation. 411

This does not mean Vietnam has selected any single supplier or project. Rather, the tour broadened the set of partners that could contribute expertise, equipment, finance or technology in strategically important sectors. That diversification is the central practical outcome.

The Indo-Pacific and ASEAN dimension

France reiterated that it considers Vietnam an important partner in its Indo-Pacific strategy. 23 Vietnam and France also committed to closer consultation in regional forums and to supporting deeper ASEAN–EU cooperation. 26

For Hanoi, this creates a route to work with a major European power while maintaining ASEAN’s role in regional diplomacy. For Paris, Vietnam is a significant Southeast Asian partner in its Indo-Pacific engagement. The relationship therefore extends beyond bilateral commercial agreements to regional political coordination.

The broader strategic message: diversification, not alignment

The sequencing of a Russia visit followed by a France visit was itself consequential. Vietnam engaged Moscow and Paris—two capitals with sharply different geopolitical alignments—while pursuing cooperation in areas that serve its own development priorities.

That approach is consistent with Hanoi’s often-described “bamboo diplomacy”: preserving autonomy, maintaining relations across competing blocs and reducing dependence on a single strategic or economic partner. Reuters reported before the trip that To Lam was also expected to address the UN General Assembly and that a Canada visit was expected after a planned U.S. trip; those plans were prospective at the time of reporting. 33

What to watch next

The tour’s lasting significance will be determined by execution. Key questions include whether cooperation documents develop into funded projects; whether technology-transfer arrangements are substantial; and how external regulatory, sanctions and export-control conditions affect energy, transport, aerospace and advanced-technology plans.

For now, the clearest outcome is a dual-track strategy: preserve depth in the Russia relationship while accelerating Vietnam’s access to French and European technology, industrial cooperation and regional diplomatic support. 41123