Kim Jong Un To Visit Russia Amid Potential Arms Deal With Putin
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has accepted an invitation from Russian President Vladimir Putin to visit Russia, according to statements released by both Pyongyang and Moscow on Monday. The visit comes as the United States raises concerns that the two leaders could finalize an arms deal, potentially affecting the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
The specific details of the visit, including the date and location, have not been disclosed by either country. However, it is believed that the meeting will take place in Vladivostok, where the two leaders previously met in April 2019. Russian spokesman Dmitri Peskov confirmed that Putin would be in Vladivostok on Monday, while sources suggest that Kim is currently en route via train.
This trip marks Kim’s first overseas visit since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. With North Korea upholding strict travel restrictions over the past three years, this recent development highlights a slight relaxation of those rules.
For Kim, this will only be his tenth international trip since assuming power in 2011. The majority of his trips occurred in 2018 and 2019, during which he engaged in high-profile negotiations regarding his country’s nuclear weapons and missile programs. Notably, he met with former U.S. President Donald Trump in Singapore, Hanoi, and the demilitarized zone (DMZ) separating North and South Korea. Kim also visited China on four occasions during this period and met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. One trip was also made to the DMZ to meet with then-South Korean President Moon Jae-in.
Situated approximately 130 km from the North Korean border, Vladivostok has been a preferred meeting location for diplomatic talks between the two countries. Previous trips by Kim have involved various modes of transportation, including luxury armored trains, airplanes, and cars.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu previously visited Pyongyang in July 2021 in an apparent effort to persuade North Korea to sell artillery ammunition to Russia.
The potential arms deal between Russia and North Korea has drawn warnings from the U.S. government. White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan issued a statement last week, cautioning that North Korea could face consequences if it proceeds with such an agreement. Currently, North Korea is already subject to international sanctions due to its weapons of mass destruction program.
Observers suggest that a potential arms deal between Putin and Kim could enable North Korea to access restricted weapons it has been unable to acquire for the past two decades. This could particularly impact its nuclear-capable ballistic missile program. The ongoing conflict in Ukraine, which has left the Russian military in need of supplies, further adds urgency to the potential deal.
Additional reporting by Yoonjung Seo and Anna Chernova.