Putin in Vietnam, seeking to strengthen ties in Southeast Asia while Russia's isolation deepens

Russian President Vladimir Putin is in Vietnam to strengthen ties with its longtime partner in Southeast Asia at a time when Moscow is facing growing international isolation because of its military actions in Ukraine. He arrived early Thursday in Hanoi after concluding his trip to North Korea where he and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed an agreement that pledges mutual aid if the event of war. The Russian leader is scheduled to meet Vietnam’s most powerful politician, Communist Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, the new President To Lam and other officials. Vietnam remains dependent on Russia for arms and as a counterweight to China in the disputed South China Sea.