“Vietnamese people love Russian products very much,” she said, surrounded by matryoshka dolls and hats embroidered with the word CCCP, the Cyrillic abbreviation for the Soviet Union (USSR).
“I used to be very completely happy once I learned that Mr. Putin was coming to Vietnam because he could be very talented, he’s an actual world leader,” said Tran Xuan Cuong, a 57-year-old resident of Hanoi, speaking in front of the Lenin statue in the middle of the Vietnamese capital.
Nguyen Duy Khanh, a 34-year-old photographer, said: “Mr. Putin is a very talented and powerful president and is truly my idol. I really admire Mr. Putin.”
Tens of hundreds of Vietnamese Party employees went to check in the previous Soviet Union throughout the Cold War, including top business leaders and current Communist Party chief Nguyen Phu Trong, a Marxist-Leninist ideologue.
Vietnam’s capital is dotted with Soviet-style buildings, including the museum of recent Vietnam’s founding father Ho Chi Minh and the impressive Vietnam-Soviet Friendship Palace, inbuilt the late Seventies on the positioning of a bombed-out French exhibition hall.
“The Russian spirit is a wonderful thing. He can be gentle and has a lot of affection and love for peace,” said Tran Xuan Viet, 83.
“I will always have respect and compassion for Putin. In fact, there are many things in it that I often… apply in my everyday life,” he added.
These feelings were also shared by young people.
“I actually like Russian President Putin. I hope this visit will increase solidarity, cooperation and friendship between Russia and Vietnam,” said Pham Hoang Hai Dang, a 20-year-old student.
Nguyen Huu Huy Khoi, 22, and one other student, 22, noted that Putin was “very tough” but in addition “very friendly to everyone.”
“I like Mr. Putin very much,” he added.
