The US is then Vietnam’s best export market and the US , State Department said in announcing Kritenbrink’s visit that he would “reaffirm the United States ‘ support for a strong, separate, adaptable, and rich Vietnam” and “underscore the robust US commitment to implementing the US- Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership”.
Russia and Vietnam reached agreements on a range of problems, including power, which underscored Moscow’s expansion into Asia after the West imposed sanctions on Russia for the Ukraine issue.
Some analysts believe Hanoi may have calculated it wo n’t suffer material consequences despite the US’ concern over Vietnam hosting Putin, given that Washington relies on good relations with Vietnam to fend off its rivalry with China in the Indo-Pacific region.
But, Hanoi is awaiting an essential US decision expected by Jul 26, on whether to raise Vietnam to market- economy status, and Alexander Vuving, a Vietnam and Asia expert at Hawaii’s Daniel K. Inouye Asia- Pacific Center for Security Studies, said hosting Putin may affect this.