Brent rose 40 cents, or 0.5%, to $85.41 a barrel, WTI gained 43 cents, or 0.5%, to $81.26 per barrel.

Russia was able to divert oil exports away from Europe to India and China, securing the much-needed financial flows for its budget, which is in deficit as Moscow spends heavily on defence and security.

That boosted Russia's share in the world's third largest importer and consumer to nearly 41% last month, the data showed.

In the leaders' statements to the media after the summit, President Putin said that "a promising area for expanding bilateral cooperation is nuclear energy", while Vietnamese President To Lam said "we also agreed to explore opportunities for stepping up our cooperation on new energy sources and clean energy, as well as facilitate the green transition and sustainable development".

There is increasing market acceptance of Russian SMRs, despite Western geopolitical pressures. Numerous countries in Central Asia, including Uzbekistan, which agreed an SMR investment with Rosatom, using a RITM200 reactor commissioned to build it by 2026.

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Brent slid 40 cents, or 0.5%, to $84.84 a barrel, WTI were at $80.34 a barrel, down 39 cents, or 0.5%.

The parties plan to discuss the current state of and prospects for the continued development of a comprehensive strategic partnership between Russia and Vietnam in the trade and economy, scientific and technology, and humanitarian fields, and exchange opinions on relevant items on the international and regional agenda.

Tolerant fuel with silicon carbide shells will not only minimise, but completely eliminate the risk of a steam-zirconium reaction – the main cause of almost all past accidents at NPPs.

The world’s most populous nation expects to add 15.4 gigawatts in the year through March 2025, the most in nine years, said people familiar with the matter, asking not to be named as the information isn’t yet public.