Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to meet North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, marking a pivotal moment in international relations. This historic encounter, taking place in North Korea, is the first visit by Putin in the span of 24 years.
Last year in September, Putin and Kim Jong Un's previous interaction took place when Kim Jong visited Russia's Vladivostok city.
In anticipation of this visit, Putin has expressed his gratitude to North Korea for their support in the Ukraine conflict. Furthermore, he stated that both nations together will confront and counter American sanctions, describing the restrictions posed by the USA and Western countries on North Korea and Russia as unilateral.
The visit, described as a 'friendly state visit' by the Russian President's office, the Kremlin, indicates a growing camaraderie between the two leaders. According to reports, Putin is expected to stay at the Kumusan Guest House in Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea—a venue which also hosted China's President Xi Jinping in 2019.
Why is Putin going?
Next year, following his election as President of Russia, Putin embarked on a trip to North Korea, where he met with Kim Jong Il, Kim Jong Un's father. Now, 24 years later, Putin returns to visit North Korea amidst a wave of sanctions and a tarnishing global image due to the Ukraine war.
Putin is seeking to reaffirm his presence on the global stage. Last month, Putin also visited China, where he met President Xi Jinping, and his next scheduled trip will be to Vietnam after North Korea.
Putin's foreign policy advisor, Yuri Ushakov, has revealed that Russia and North Korea might sign a partnership agreement covering security concerns, insinuating that it's not directed against any other nation but stems from recent years' international political, economic, and security challenges.
Putin will be in North Korea on June 18th and 19th, followed by a visit to Vietnam on June 19th-20th. Ever since the start of the Ukraine war, Putin has increased engagement with North Korea, augmenting the concerns of the United States and other Western nations.
Source: aajtak
Why the world watches Putin-Kim meet
This will be the second time in nine months that Putin and Kim Jong Un are meeting, an event that has heightened global tensions.
The spokesperson for the US National Security Council, John Kirby, expressed that the US isn't concerned about the meeting itself but is wary of the deepening relations between the nations. Kirby emphasized that while the ballistic missiles from North Korea continue to pose threats in Ukraine, the escalation also has implications for the Korean Peninsula.
The tension arises from the fact that both leaders are currently isolated and anti-Western, placing them at odds with global alliances.
Putin's visit comes at a time when tensions are still high in the Korean Peninsula. South Korea has claimed that North Korean soldiers recently breached the demilitarized zone (DMZ), with subsequent exchange of fire—marking the second such incident in two weeks within the boundary separating the Koreas.
The US, South Korea, and Western countries have repeatedly accused North Korea of supplying Russia with arms, attributing their sustained involvement in Ukraine to North Korean weaponry. According to CNN, last month, the US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin informed Congress that ammunition and missiles from North Korea, along with drones from Iran, have given Russia a chance to recover in the Ukraine conflict.
