HANOI: Vietnam‘s international affairs ministry has aggravated the European Union by suspending a assembly subsequent week with the EU‘s high official on Russian sanctions, forward of a doable go to to Hanoi by Russia‘s President Vladimir Putin.
Vietnam has been striving to pursue a impartial international coverage in its relations with main world powers. It has abstained from condemning Russia’s assault on Ukraine, a place that Western international locations see as too near the Kremlin.
Particular envoy for the implementation of EU sanctions, David O’Sullivan, is visiting Southeast Asia subsequent week and had deliberate to satisfy Vietnamese officers on Could 13-14, however Hanoi requested to delay the assembly “as leaders had been too busy to satisfy with him,” one diplomat with direct information of the scenario mentioned.
Three different diplomats confirmed the postponement of the go to, with one saying Vietnam had advised July as a substitute date.
Two of the diplomats and one other particular person acquainted with the discussions linked the delay to preparations for a doable go to by Putin to Vietnam. One supply mentioned the Russian chief’s go to could possibly be “spoiled” by any talks with the EU envoy.
Shortly after Reuters reported on the matter, the EU diplomatic delegation in Hanoi issued a press release describing the postponement of the assembly as “disappointing” and mentioned it was discussing a brand new date with the Vietnamese authorities.
A spokeswoman for Vietnam’s international ministry advised a daily press convention afterward Thursday that Hanoi was discussing with the EU a date for the assembly.
Requested about Putin’s doable go to, she mentioned info can be shared “at an acceptable time”.
Russia’s embassy in Hanoi didn’t reply to a request for remark.
Inviting Putin
Vietnamese leaders have repeatedly invited Putin to Vietnam in current months, regardless of the Hague-based Worldwide Prison Courtroom (ICC) having issued in March 2023 an arrest warrant for the Russian president over alleged struggle crimes in Ukraine.
Vietnam isn’t a member of the ICC.
Final week, Russia’s ambassador to Vietnam, Gennady Bezdetko, was reported as saying that Putin had accepted the invitation and {that a} date for the go to can be determined after the inauguration for his fifth time period as president on Could 7, in line with Vietnamese state media. Putin final travelled to Vietnam in 2017.
Russia is the highest provider of weapons to Vietnam and likewise performs an important position within the exploitation of Vietnam’s fuel reserves within the South China Sea, in waters that China claims as its personal.
The EU, an vital buying and selling accomplice for Vietnam, has imposed wide-ranging sanctions on Moscow over its struggle in Ukraine.
O’Sullivan’s job entails ensuring that international locations don’t assist Russia or different sanctioned states to bypass punitive EU measures, as an illustration by supplying Moscow with dual-use items that could possibly be used for its struggle efforts in Ukraine.
There isn’t any proof that Vietnam has provided any assist to Russia for what the Kremlin calls its “particular army operation” in Ukraine.
Some diplomats have mentioned it will be onerous to detect any commerce between Vietnam and Russia which will breach sanctions, particularly if it concerned chips or different small elements.
Vietnam has been striving to pursue a impartial international coverage in its relations with main world powers. It has abstained from condemning Russia’s assault on Ukraine, a place that Western international locations see as too near the Kremlin.
Particular envoy for the implementation of EU sanctions, David O’Sullivan, is visiting Southeast Asia subsequent week and had deliberate to satisfy Vietnamese officers on Could 13-14, however Hanoi requested to delay the assembly “as leaders had been too busy to satisfy with him,” one diplomat with direct information of the scenario mentioned.
Three different diplomats confirmed the postponement of the go to, with one saying Vietnam had advised July as a substitute date.
Two of the diplomats and one other particular person acquainted with the discussions linked the delay to preparations for a doable go to by Putin to Vietnam. One supply mentioned the Russian chief’s go to could possibly be “spoiled” by any talks with the EU envoy.
Shortly after Reuters reported on the matter, the EU diplomatic delegation in Hanoi issued a press release describing the postponement of the assembly as “disappointing” and mentioned it was discussing a brand new date with the Vietnamese authorities.
A spokeswoman for Vietnam’s international ministry advised a daily press convention afterward Thursday that Hanoi was discussing with the EU a date for the assembly.
Requested about Putin’s doable go to, she mentioned info can be shared “at an acceptable time”.
Russia’s embassy in Hanoi didn’t reply to a request for remark.
Inviting Putin
Vietnamese leaders have repeatedly invited Putin to Vietnam in current months, regardless of the Hague-based Worldwide Prison Courtroom (ICC) having issued in March 2023 an arrest warrant for the Russian president over alleged struggle crimes in Ukraine.
Vietnam isn’t a member of the ICC.
Final week, Russia’s ambassador to Vietnam, Gennady Bezdetko, was reported as saying that Putin had accepted the invitation and {that a} date for the go to can be determined after the inauguration for his fifth time period as president on Could 7, in line with Vietnamese state media. Putin final travelled to Vietnam in 2017.
Russia is the highest provider of weapons to Vietnam and likewise performs an important position within the exploitation of Vietnam’s fuel reserves within the South China Sea, in waters that China claims as its personal.
The EU, an vital buying and selling accomplice for Vietnam, has imposed wide-ranging sanctions on Moscow over its struggle in Ukraine.
O’Sullivan’s job entails ensuring that international locations don’t assist Russia or different sanctioned states to bypass punitive EU measures, as an illustration by supplying Moscow with dual-use items that could possibly be used for its struggle efforts in Ukraine.
There isn’t any proof that Vietnam has provided any assist to Russia for what the Kremlin calls its “particular army operation” in Ukraine.
Some diplomats have mentioned it will be onerous to detect any commerce between Vietnam and Russia which will breach sanctions, particularly if it concerned chips or different small elements.
