This is one of the important activities of President Putin during his visit to Vietnam, contributing to further promoting people-to-people exchanges to enhance understanding and friendship, creating a solid foundation for bilateral relations.

The Hanoi Opera House was packed with nearly 400 guests who have many ties and love for the country, people, and culture of Russia. The meeting took place in a warm and friendly atmosphere.

Speaking at the meeting, President Vladimir Putin expressed his emotion at meeting and interacting with Vietnamese friends and always receiving warm feelings from the generation of former Vietnamese students studying in Russia, sincere friends of Russia, who have spent time attached to and understood the country and people of Russia.

Recalling the success in many fields of many Vietnamese people who studied in the Russian Federation, President Putin highly appreciated the important contributions of generations of former Vietnamese students in Russia to the traditional friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

The President also expressed his admiration for beloved President Ho Chi Minh as well as the indomitable and heroic spirit of the Vietnamese people in the past struggle for national independence and the current national development.

The Russian leader hopes that generations of former Vietnamese students will continue to be a bridge for the younger generation of Vietnam to better understand the culture, country, and people of Russia, contributing to preserving and developing the traditional friendly relationship between the two countries.

Speaking afterwards, President To Lam sincerely thanked President Putin and the high-ranking delegation of the Russian Federation for taking the time to attend the exchange despite their busy schedule during their working trip to Vietnam.

The President shared that this was a warm and trusting meeting between close friends, with sincere feelings, "from heart to heart."

The President said that there are people who have lived, worked, and studied in Russia and even those who have never set foot in Russia but always love Russia, "feeling the profound humanity of the Russian world, the Russian soul, the Russian language through every page of books, films, stories told by grandparents and parents."

The President quoted the Russian proverb "no wealth can compare to friendship," "an old friend is better than two new friends," and affirmed that the Vietnamese people always deeply appreciate and remember the close and loyal feelings of Russian friends. In the context of many complicated developments in the world and the region, Vietnam and the Russian Federation will continue to promote the tradition of solidarity, mutual trust, continue to stand side by side, help each other overcome difficulties and challenges for the benefit of the people of the two countries.

The President said that the sharing of delegates attending the meeting today demonstrated that although the two countries are thousands of miles apart, the Vietnamese people still care about and follow Russia, and are extremely happy with Russia's achievements and development, always wishing Russia prosperity and strong development, overcoming all difficulties and challenges.

Tran Thuong - Pham Hai