President Thongloun Sisoulith (left) and his Russian counterpart, President Vladimir Putin at the talks.

Lao, Russian Presidents agree to cement ties as numerous deals are signed

Visiting President Thongloun Sisoulith and his host, Russian President Vladimir Putin have agreed to enhance cooperation across a wide range of areas with the signing of seven cooperation deals, including a roadmap for nuclear collaboration.

The Lao leader and his delegation were on an official visit to Russia from July 30 to August 1 at the invitation of Mr Putin. 

Mr Thongloun’s first official visit to Russia as President also marked the 65th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries, whose relations go back to the era of the Soviet Union.

At their talks, the two leaders agreed to intensify cooperation across politics and security, national defence, economic issues, trade, investment, education and tourism, the Lao Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

Russian news agency TASS reported that both sides signed seven joint documents, including a roadmap for cooperation in the nuclear sector. This comes at a time when Laos seeks to harness the peaceful use of nuclear energy to diversify power sources, instead of relying heavily on hydropower.   

A memorandum of cooperation to collaborate in the sanitary and epidemiological sphere was signed to facilitate joint research of infectious diseases, provision of material and technical assistance to Laos in the fight against infections, and the training of specialists and participation in international events.   

The package also included an agreement on mutual legal assistance in criminal proceedings. Both sides also signed memorandums on mutual understanding in the field of water resources protection, cooperation in secondary education, and mutual understanding between the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO), the National University of Laos and Institute of International Relations.

In the context of trade, Mr Putin told his guest that Russia plans to expand cargo transportation with Laos by rail and sea amid an increase in cargo flows between the two countries.

"Due to an increase in mutual cargo flows, issues concerning expansion of container transportation by sea from Laos to Vladivostok through Vietnam's ports are being considered," Mr Putin was quoted as saying by Interfax news agency. 

"There are plans to also organise railroad cargo [transportation] through the territory of China."

Trade between Russia and Laos rose by 66 percent in 2024, with growth continuing at 20 percent year-on-year from January to May in 2025, Mr Putin was cited as saying by Turkey-based news agency Anadolu Ajansi.
Both leaders highly valued the growing ties through bilateral and multilateral cooperation frameworks, the Lao foreign ministry said.  

Mr Thongloun expressed his heartfelt gratitude to Russia for extending invaluable support to Laos, particularly in human resource development, for which the Russian government has increased scholarships for Lao nationals to take courses in Russian universities year after year.

He offered a pair of elephants as a gift to Mr Putin and the Russian people to commemorate the 65th anniversary of diplomatic ties. He said elephants are symbols of Laos, the country that is known as the "Land of a Million Elephants". 

Mr Thongloun expressed his wish that the animals could live in a zoo in St Petersburg, where he had once studied.

"They will come in handy," Mr Putin was quoted as saying by Viory, an Abu Dhabi-based video news agency. He thanked his guest for the generous gift.

Mr Thongloun invited his Russian counterpart to make an official visit to Laos at his convenience.

The Lao leader, who is also Secretary General of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party Central Committee, also held talks with the Chairman of the United Russia Party (URP), Mr Dmitry Medvedev.

byTimes Reporters
 (Latest Update August 4, 2025)