Vietnam and Belarus Affirm Commitment to Stronger Defence Ties During High-Level Visit

High-Level Discussions in Hanoi

Maj. Gen. Pavel Muraveiko, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces and First Deputy Minister of Defense of Belarus, undertook an official visit to Vietnam from October 19 to 22. During his visit, Maj. Gen. Muraveiko engaged in significant discussions with senior Vietnamese defense officials, including Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Tan Cuong, Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army and Deputy Minister of National Defense, and General Phan Van Giang, Minister of National Defense. These meetings, held in Hanoi on October 20, underscored a mutual commitment to enhancing defense cooperation between the two nations.

The discussions highlighted the traditional friendship between Vietnam and Belarus, which was recently elevated to a Strategic Partnership in early May 2025 during Party General Secretary To Lam's state visit to Belarus. Defense cooperation was identified as a crucial pillar of this expanded relationship.

Key Areas for Enhanced Cooperation

During the talks, both sides outlined several areas for future collaboration. General Nguyen Tan Cuong proposed continued close coordination in various fields, including:

• Maintaining high-level and working-level delegation exchanges.
• Effective implementation of existing cooperation agreements.
• Strengthening ties between the armed services of both countries.
• Enhanced collaboration in military training and competitions.
• Reciprocal participation in international defense exhibitions.
• Expanding cooperation into new areas such as military science and military medicine.

Maj. Gen. Muraveiko acknowledged the positive outcomes of bilateral cooperation in recent years and agreed that significant potential remains to further deepen defense ties. He affirmed Belarus's readiness to work with friendly nations to promote peace, stability, and development.

Strategic Context and Future Outlook

The Vietnamese side reiterated its consistent defense policy based on the principle of 'four no's': 'no military alliances, no siding with one country against another, no foreign military bases in Vietnamese territory, and no use or threat of force in international relations.' This policy frames Vietnam's approach to international military partnerships, emphasizing cooperation for peace and stability.

Discussions also touched upon military-technical cooperation and the development of a draft cooperation plan for 2026, indicating a forward-looking approach to solidifying their defense partnership. The visit concluded with both parties expressing confidence that these engagements would further strengthen the Vietnam-Belarus Strategic Partnership.