Kazan, June 17, 2026 – The Europe Today: Vietnamese Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng on Tuesday held talks with the Head of the Republic of Tatarstan, Rustam Minnikhanov, in Kazan during his visit to the Russian Federation for the ASEAN–Russia Commemorative Summit marking the 35th anniversary of ASEAN–Russia relations.
During the meeting, Minnikhanov expressed his honour in welcoming the Vietnamese Prime Minister and his delegation, noting that the visit would open new opportunities for cooperation between Tatarstan and Việt Nam, as well as between Russia and Việt Nam more broadly.
He said that interregional relations between the two countries have developed dynamically in recent years; however, he noted that economic and trade cooperation remains below its potential, with significant untapped opportunities for local-level collaboration.
Minnikhanov highlighted Tatarstan’s strong industrial base, including major sectors such as truck manufacturing (KamAZ), petrochemicals, chemicals, civil aviation, textiles, and wood processing. He also pointed to the region’s focus on small and medium-sized enterprises and industrial parks in the information technology sector, which collectively generate substantial economic output and employment.
He expressed Tatarstan’s readiness to deepen ties with Vietnamese localities, promote its development model, and enhance business-to-business connectivity. He also voiced hope for increased Vietnamese tourism to the region and suggested that Việt Nam consider establishing a Consulate General in Kazan to further facilitate bilateral engagement.
For his part, Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng expressed satisfaction with his visit to Kazan and praised the thorough preparations made by Tatarstan and the city for the high-level ASEAN–Russia Commemorative Summit.
He expressed confidence that the summit would provide strong momentum for advancing the ASEAN–Russia Strategic Partnership and strengthening cooperation between ASEAN member states, including Việt Nam, and Russia.
The Prime Minister congratulated the leadership and people of Tatarstan on their socio-economic achievements and improvements in living standards, noting Việt Nam’s strong appreciation for its traditional friendship and Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with Russia.
He reaffirmed Việt Nam’s commitment to further expanding cooperation across multiple sectors in a manner that benefits both countries and contributes to regional and global stability and development.
PM Lê Minh Hưng also recalled recent high-level understandings reached during the visit of General Secretary Tô Lâm to Russia, which emphasized the need to elevate bilateral cooperation in line with current development priorities.
He stressed the important role of local authorities and businesses in advancing this partnership and said Việt Nam welcomes cooperation with leading Tatarstan enterprises, while remaining committed to creating favourable conditions for Russian businesses operating in Việt Nam.
The Vietnamese Prime Minister also welcomed the possibility of establishing formal ties between Tatarstan and a Vietnamese locality and encouraged expanded cooperation in trade, education, tourism, and cultural exchange.
He further supported the development of direct air connectivity between Kazan and Hà Nội to strengthen people-to-people ties and facilitate economic cooperation.
