Party leader, President To Lam meets presidents of the EC and Ukraine

During his meeting with President Zelensky, Secretary-General and President To Lam reaffirmed Vietnam’s appreciation for the traditional friendship and comprehensive partnership with Ukraine.

Vietnam fondly remembers the support of the Soviet people, including Ukrainians, during national liberation and reunification, as well as in current development efforts.

President To Lam expressed concern over the ongoing conflict and urged an end to hostilities and the restoration of peace to ensure the safety of civilians and essential infrastructure.

Vietnam consistently advocates that all disputes be resolved peacefully, in accordance with the principles of international law and the Charter of the United Nations, including respect for independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and without the use of force or threat of force.

President To Lam welcomed and supported international mediation efforts to find a long-term peaceful solution to the conflict involving all relevant parties and in accordance with international law.

As an active and responsible member of the international community, Vietnam is ready to contribute to dialogues and solutions to stabilize the situation for regional and global peace and stability. He stressed that Vietnam would be ready to assist in the reconstruction of Ukraine once the conflict is over.

President Zelensky appreciated Vietnam’s position and thanked the Vietnamese state and people for their humanitarian support. He expressed his hope for Vietnam’s support for the Swiss Peace Conference Declaration and assistance in mine clearance and conflict resolution in Ukraine.

Both sides discussed the need to maintain and enhance bilateral cooperation through high-level contacts and exchanges, seeking effective measures to restore bilateral trade relations as soon as possible.

During his meeting with EC President Ursula von der Leyen, Mr To Lam congratulated her on her re-election for the 2024-2029 term and stressed the need to continue promoting exchanges and effective cooperation/dialogue mechanisms, welcoming the EU’s active role in the Asia-Pacific region.

Vietnam is willing to act as a bridge to strengthen the EU’s cooperation with countries in the region through the ASEAN-EU Strategic Partnership.

Nearly four years after the implementation of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), trade between the two has increased dramatically, making Vietnam the EU’s largest trading partner in ASEAN and the EU Vietnam’s fourth largest trading partner. EU investment in Vietnam has also increased, making it the fifth largest investor in the country.

Party leader and Chairman To Lam urged the continued effective implementation of the EVFTA, with priority given to resolving issues of market access for goods, including the early withdrawal of the yellow card and continued support to Vietnam in the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

The leaders also discussed enhancing cooperation in defence, security and the fight against transnational organised crime, in particular high-tech crime. They also urged the EU to continue strengthening cooperation and support for Vietnam in the areas of environmental protection, climate change, public governance and green and circular economic development.

President Ursula von der Leyen confirmed Vietnam as a key partner in the EU’s Indo-Pacific strategy and proposed to enhance bilateral relations to make cooperation in all areas more thorough and effective.

The EU is committed to working closely with Vietnam to effectively implement agreements and existing exchange mechanisms, thereby enhancing cooperation in various sectors and jointly tackling global challenges.

Tran Thuong