Efforts to sign a new aviation agreement between Vietnam and Russia

Representatives of regulatory agencies and businesses at the forum focused on solutions to reduce logistics costs, increase transport-system flexibility, and strengthen resilience against disruptions to the global supply chain.

Digital tools and cross-border connectivity

Presentations highlighted the role of big data, digital platforms, and automation in improving management efficiency, optimizing operations, and increasing supply-chain transparency. Participants also emphasized building a synchronized digital ecosystem across countries, aimed at connecting and sharing data across borders.

International transport corridors and integrated logistics

The forum discussed developing international transport corridors, including Asia–Europe linkages and strategic routes such as North–South, with the aim of reshaping regional and global logistics networks.

Discussion sessions also underscored the need to strengthen links among different transport modes, improve infrastructure, and enhance transshipment capacity to handle growing flows of international goods. Integrated logistics centers connecting road, rail, maritime, and air transport were identified as an important direction.

Vietnam–Russia aviation talks

During the forum, Deputy Minister Le Anh Tuấn held talks with Deputy Minister of Transport of the Russian Federation Vladimir Poteshkin on revising the Vietnam–Russia Aviation Agreement.

The two sides noted positive outcomes in bilateral aviation cooperation, particularly the resumption of direct routes since 2023 and strong growth in the air-transport market between the two countries. In 2025, airlines from both sides operated more than 3,100 flights, carried over 800,000 passengers, and transported over 3,000 tons of cargo.

Based on these results, Vietnam proposed that both sides promptly advance negotiations and finalize and sign a new aviation agreement to create a more favorable legal framework for the operations of Vietnamese and Russian carriers.

Vietnam also asked Russia to consider facilitating Vietnamese airlines’ operations and overflight in the Russian market, aimed at improving operational efficiency and enhancing air connectivity between the two countries, and promoting substantive, effective, and sustainable Vietnam–Russia aviation cooperation in the coming period.

Record surge in Russian visitors

In 2025, Russian visitors to Vietnam rose sharply to 689,714 arrivals, according to the General Statistics Office. The figure nearly tripled compared with 2024 and surpassed the 2019 level of 646,524 arrivals, the highest in the past decade. The Russian market recorded the highest growth among Vietnam’s international visitor markets.

Key milestones in 2025

• On 17 March 2025, the first direct charter flight bringing Russian visitors back to Nha Trang after years of disruption (since 2022) was welcomed by Khanh Hoa province.
• On 9 May 2025, Vietnam Airlines launched the direct Hanoi–Moscow route, with events held in Moscow attended by senior leaders of the two countries.
• On 15 June 2025, Vietjet officially opened direct flights between Khanh Hoa and three major cities in Russia’s Far East: Vladivostok, Khabarovsk, and Blagoveshchensk.

2026 Kremlin meeting and visa proposal

At a Kremlin meeting on 25 March 2026 in Moscow, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to intensify people-to-people exchange and facilitate travel for citizens of both countries to promote tourism and attract more Russian visitors to Vietnam and Vietnamese visitors to Russia. President Putin asked the Russian Foreign Ministry to consider visa-free travel for Vietnamese citizens.