Russian foreign minister stops in Vietnam ahead of G-20

By HAU DINH
Associated Press

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is visiting Vietnam as part of an effort to bolster ties with a country that has not openly condemned the war in Ukraine. Lavrov is in Asia to seek support amid his country’s diplomatic isolation by the West and punishing sanctions leveled over its invasion of Ukraine. He visited Mongolia a day before arriving in Vietnam’s capital, Hanoi. His visit aims to strengthen ties with Vietnam, which also has a strong relationship with the United States. Lavrov departs Vietnam later Wednesday for Indonesia, where the foreign ministers of the Group of 20 leading rich and developing countries meet Thursday.