Prime Minister arrives in Saint Petersburg, begins official visit to the Russian Federation

At 6:40 p.m. on May 20 local time, or about 8:40 p.m. the same day Vietnam time, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his wife led a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation to Pulkovo 1 Airport, Saint Petersburg, beginning an official visit to the Russian Federation, at the invitation of Russian Prime Minister Dmitri Medvedev.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his wife.

Welcoming the Prime Minister and the delegation at the airport, on the Russian side were Russian Ambassador to Vietnam Konstantin Vnukov, Deputy Governor of Saint Petersburg, leaders of the Saint Petersburg Department of Foreign Affairs, representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation in Saint Petersburg; on the Vietnamese side were Vietnamese Ambassador to the Russian Federation Ngo Duc Manh and his wife, staff of the Vietnamese Embassy in the Russian Federation, and representatives of the Vietnamese community in Saint Petersburg.

During his stay in Saint Petersburg, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc will lay a wreath at the Piskaryoskoe Memorial Cemetery; visit the Aurora Battleship, the Winter Palace, Lenin's Memorial Site at the Smolny Palace, and a number of other activities. The Prime Minister will also meet with Acting Governor of Saint Petersburg Beglov AD and receive leaders of Gazprom Group.

After that, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his wife and the Vietnamese high-ranking delegation will leave Saint Petersburg for Moscow. According to the program, the official welcoming ceremony for Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, his wife and the Vietnamese high-ranking delegation will take place at Vnukovo 2 airport, Moscow.

In Moscow, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc will have important talks with Russian Prime Minister Medvedev; meet with Russian President V. Putin, Chairman of the Russian State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin, and Chairman of the Russian Federation Council V. Matvienko.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc will have in-depth discussions with Russian leaders on directions to promote the comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and the Russian Federation in all aspects, especially enhancing mutual understanding between the two peoples and the young generation.

Representatives of Vietnam and Russia welcomed the Prime Minister and the working delegation at Pulkovo 1.

Also according to the program, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and the high-ranking Vietnamese delegation, together with the Russian Prime Minister and representatives of Russian ministries, sectors and localities, will chair the opening ceremony of the Vietnam Year in Russia and the Russia Year in Vietnam.

The Prime Minister will also attend the Vietnam - Russia Business Forum and receive leaders of several leading Russian corporations, thereby promoting investment and economic and trade cooperation between businesses of the two countries.

During the visit, the Prime Minister will also meet and talk with officials and staff of the Embassy and the Vietnamese community in the Russian Federation; lay flowers at the Ho Chi Minh Monument and participate in a number of other activities./.