North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is reportedly set to travel to Russia this month to meet with President Putin and discuss the possibility of supplying weapons to Moscow.
US media outlets reported on September 4, citing sources from the US government and its allies, that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will make a rare foreign trip to Vladivostok, Russia, in September. Kim Jong-un is believed to be traveling by train.
While in Vladivostok, Kim Jong-un and Putin will discuss the possibility of North Korea supplying Russia with artillery shells and anti-tank missiles. In return, Moscow would provide Pyongyang with advanced satellite technology and nuclear-powered submarines.
Russian President Vladimir Putin (right) and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Vladivostok in April 2019. Photo: KCNA
News of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's planned visit to Russia emerged after Moscow announced it was discussing the possibility of holding joint military exercises with Pyongyang.
"Why not? They are our neighbors. The Russians have an old proverb that says: You can't choose your neighbors, so it's best to live together in peace ," Interfax quoted Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu as saying about the possibility of joint military exercises with North Korea.
South Korean news agency Yonhap previously cited South Korean intelligence sources saying that Minister Shoigu, who visited Pyongyang in July, had suggested to Kim Jong-un that Russia and North Korea hold joint naval exercises with China.
The White House said last month that Russia was "secretly negotiating" to buy ammunition and military supplies from North Korea for use in the Ukraine conflict. The U.S. accuses North Korea of supplying missiles and rockets to Russia since last year, adding that these weapons were allocated to the Wagner Group for use.
North Korea and Russia have repeatedly denied accusations that Pyongyang transferred weapons to Wagner. Russian officials called it fake news, while North Korea accused the U.S. of trying to tarnish its image by "inventing things that don't exist."
Since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Pyongyang has strengthened its close ties with Moscow. North Korea has repeatedly publicly supported Russia at the United Nations, emphasizing that the "hegemonic and authoritarian policies" of the United States and its Western allies are the cause of the conflict.
Kim Jong-un and Putin held their first summit in 2019. The Russian president praised Kim Jong-un's initiatives to stabilize the situation on the Korean Peninsula. Kim also pledged to strengthen relations with Moscow.
Ngoc Anh (According to Reuters )
Source link
Comment (0)