By Ly Ly Cao

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam and Russia's Leningrad Region are seeking to expand business cooperation in energy, logistics, industrial production and agricultural processing, with Russian companies proposing long-term liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply contracts and increased investment in Việt Nam.

The proposals were presented during a working programme on November 13, involving a delegation from the Leningrad Region and Vietnamese businesses, with both sides identifying opportunities to strengthen trade links, develop production partnerships and connect supply chains.

Lê Hoàng Tài, deputy director of the Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency (Vietrade), said trade and investment cooperation remained an important driver of Việt Nam–Russia ties amid global uncertainty.

He highlighted Leningrad's industrial base, logistics infrastructure and seaports, while noting Việt Nam's large consumer market and investment potential.

He called on Leningrad businesses to import more Vietnamese agricultural and food products and invest in processing and packaging. Việt Nam's key exports include coffee, tea, rice, pepper, cashew nuts, tropical fruits and seafood.

Russian products such as tea, coffee, fertilisers and industrial materials also offer opportunities in Việt Nam, while businesses from both sides should strengthen supply-chain, manufacturing and distribution cooperation.

Yulia Mikhalskaya, first deputy chairman of the Leningrad Region's Committee for Economic Development and Investment Activity, told Việt Nam News that the delegation aimed to showcase the region's capabilities and establish it as a reliable business partner.

The region is seeking cooperation in port infrastructure, cargo handling, shipping, production and LNG, with strengths in logistics, tea and coffee processing and pharmaceuticals.

The agency also plans a business mission to Việt Nam in 2027, with preparations underway in coordination with the Russian Trade Representation in Việt Nam. Mikhalskaya said no Vietnamese companies currently operated in the region, adding that it hoped to develop such partnerships.

LNG and port infrastructure offer cooperation opportunities

Anna Alexandrova Danilyuk, deputy governor of the Leningrad Region, said the region had strengthened ties with Vietnamese localities, including Quảng Trị and Lạng Sơn provinces.

Its gross regional product rose 1.5 times over the past decade to more than 2.5 trillion roubles (US$31 billion). In 2025, exports reached $6.5 billion, while its ports handled 200 million tonnes of cargo, nearly one-quarter of Russia's total, she said.

Danilyuk highlighted opportunities to supply LNG to Việt Nam to meet growing demand for gas-fired power generation.

RusChemAlliance, a company participating in the delegation, is developing a gas-processing project in Ust-Luga, designed to export 13 million tonnes of LNG and two million tonnes of LPG annually. More than 80 per cent complete, the project could supply Việt Nam with at least one million tonnes of LNG annually under proposed 15- to 20-year contracts from 2027, depending on demand, she said.

Trade between Việt Nam and the Leningrad Region exceeded $230 million in the first eight months of 2026, making Việt Nam the region's seventh-largest trading partner and third-largest import source, Danilyuk said.

She cited Orimi Group, a major Russian importer of green coffee and leaf tea, which imports nearly 13,000 tonnes from Việt Nam annually and is ready to increase purchases.

Technonicol, another member of the delegation, also expressed interest in joining major infrastructure projects in Việt Nam, including the country's first nuclear power plant project.

The region proposed cooperation in industrial production, LNG supply, port infrastructure, organic fertilisers and tea and coffee processing. Regional authorities were ready to support businesses in developing specific projects, Danilyuk said. — BIZHUB/VNS