Putin Arrives in Vietnam for State Visit
Putin Arrives in Vietnam for State Visit
The Facts
On the final leg of his two-country Asia tour, Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Vietnam on Thursday to strengthen long-standing ties with the Southeast Asian country after concluding a defense pact with North Korea.
After Vietnam's President To Lam complimented Putin on his re-election praising Russia's "domestic political stability" and other achievements Putin noted that reinforcing a comprehensive strategic partnership with Vietnam is a Russian priority.
The Spin
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Putin's visit highlights the mutual respect and long-standing Russia-Vietnam friendship and yet again exposes the absurdity of Western claims of Russia's "international isolation." The West is trapped in a worldview based on double standards and hypocrisy, while countries like Vietnam are increasingly seeking to preserve their strategic autonomy without jeopardizing US ties. International relations are no zero-sum game, and only if Washington recognizes this will it regain credibility.
