US senior diplomat arrives in Vietnam following Putin’s visit

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel J. Kritenbrink will be in Hanoi on Friday and Saturday, one day after Russian President Vladimir Putin wrapped up a two-day Vietnam visit.

During his stay, Kritenbrink, who was U.S. ambassador to Vietnam between 2017 and 2021, will meet with senior Vietnam government officials to “underscore the strong U.S. commitment to implementing the U.S.-Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and to working with Vietnam in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific region.”

The senior diplomat will also reaffirm the U.S.’s support for a “strong, independent, resilient, and prosperous Vietnam,” the words that Biden administration officials have repeatedly use when addressing Vietnam.

Kritenbrink will discuss shared objectives for next month’s ASEAN-related ministerial meetings, which will take place in Vientiane, Laos, who is holding the rotating chairmanship this year, the U.S. Department of State said in an announcement.

During his two-day visit, his first to Vietnam since 2017, Putin and Vietnamese counterpart To Lam witnessed the signing of at least 11 deals, offering to supply fossil fuels, including natural gas, and support Vietnam in building a nuclear research center.

Putin’s visit came nine months after a state visit by U.S. President Joe Biden, which marked the double upgrade of bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, elevating Washington to the diplomatic ranking on par with Russia, China, and four other foreign partners.