Russian President Vladimir Putin was warmly welcomed by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un warmly at Pyongyang’s airport, marking Putin’s first visit to the North Korean capital in over two decades.
Putin Meets North Korea’s Kim Jong Un
Russian President Vladimir Putin was warmly welcomed by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un warmly at Pyongyang’s airport, marking Putin’s first visit to the North Korean capital in over two decades. Putin is on his first trip to the North Korean capital in 24 years, a visit likely to reshape decades of Russia-North Korea relations at a time when both countries face international isolation.
Russia has leveraged its growing ties with North Korea to challenge the US, while heavily sanctioned North Korea has gained political support and promises of economic and trade aid from Moscow. The United States and its allies are concerned that Russia might assist North Korea’s missile and nuclear programs, which are banned by UNSC resolutions, and have accused Pyongyang of supplying ballistic missiles and artillery shells for Russia’s war in Ukraine. Both Moscow and Pyongyang deny these allegations.
What do Russia and North Korea want?
Russia wants North Korea’s ammunition to shore up its dwindling supply for the war in Ukraine, North Korea is eyeing military technology. North Korea boasts a huge defence industry with large-scale production capabilities.
The US State Department said this week that Pyongyang delivered 11,000 containers of munitions to Russia in the past year.
In March, a US official alleged that Russia launched at least 10 North Korea-made missiles on Ukraine since last September. Kim is seeking Putin’s help to develop missiles and advance its nuclear and space projects. North Korea has been heavily sanctioned by United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for years over its nuclear weapons and missile programmes.
