Russian President Vladimir Putin will journey to North Korea on June 18 for a “pleasant” go to, the Kremlin introduced, because the West suspects Pyongyang is supplying Moscow with weapons for its offensive in Ukraine.
The go to to the world’s loneliest state comes as Putin seeks ammunition to proceed his army marketing campaign launched in February 2022, which has thrown Moscow into unprecedented world isolation.
It additionally comes 9 months after Putin hosted North Korea’s Kim Jong Un on a uncommon abroad journey to the Russian Far East, the place the pair lavished reward on one another.
“President Vladimir Putin will go on June 18-19 to the Democratic Republic of North Korea on a pleasant state go to,” the Kremlin mentioned in a press release.
Moscow mentioned Putin will then journey to Vietnam.
Western international locations, South Korea and kyiv have accused Pyongyang of sending weapons to Moscow to be used in Ukraine, in violation of U.N. sanctions on North Korea.
Washington and Seoul say Russia, in return, has supplied Pyongyang with technical assist for its satellite tv for pc program and despatched assist to the food-short state.
Putin has lowered international journeys since launching the offensive in Ukraine, however has made some high-profile visits to Moscow’s few key allies, resembling China.
Pyongyang hardly ever hosts international visitors as it’s diplomatically remoted and has change into much more remoted because the COVID pandemic.
Russia and North Korea, which share a small land border, have historic ties because the Soviet Union helped discovered the small state after the Korean Conflict within the Fifties.
Because the fall of the USSR, Russia was one of many few international locations to keep up working relations with Pyongyang.
‘Comrades in arms’
Will probably be Putin’s second go to to the nation whereas in energy, following a visit 24 years in the past, shortly after turning into president, to satisfy with Kim Jung Un’s father, Kim Jong Il.
On the time, Putin was a frequent traveler, repeatedly touring by way of the USA and Europe.
Now Russia is beneath heavy worldwide sanctions and the Kremlin chief is persona non grata in a lot of the Western world, formally needed by the Worldwide Felony Court docket (ICC).
Kim mentioned final week that ties with Russia had “change into an unbreakable relationship of comrades in arms.”
When the leaders met in September, Putin mentioned he noticed “potentialities” for army cooperation with North Korea, whereas Kim wished the Kremlin chief a “victory” in Ukraine.
Rifles had been symbolically given away and the Kremlin promised that Putin would go to them in flip.
Since then, a variety of Russian officers, together with Moscow’s spy chief, have visited North Korea in preparation for the go to.
In March, Russia additionally used its veto on the UN Safety Council to successfully finish UN oversight of North Korea’s sanctions violations, a transfer seen as a victory for Pyongyang.
Each Russia and North Korea have denied that Pyongyang weapons are being utilized in Ukraine.
Kim’s highly effective sister, Kim Yo Jon, final month accused Seoul and Washington of “deceptive public opinion” on the difficulty.
North Korean projectiles
Ukraine, nevertheless, has reported discovering North Korean projectiles on the battlefield.
In Might, South Korea mentioned its northern rival fired a number of short-range ballistic missiles, and a few consultants mentioned they may very well be exams of weapons meant for use towards Ukraine.
Because the Kremlin and Pyongyang have publicly deepened their ties, Moscow’s relationship with South Korea (which backs Ukraine) has change into enormously strained.
Seoul is a significant arms exporter to kyiv. His president, Yoon Suk Yeol, vowed final month to keep up his help in a cellphone name with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
South Korea final month introduced separate sanctions towards Russian and North Korean people and firms that allegedly commerce in army provides.
For its half, Russia arrested a South Korean, Baek Gained-soon, earlier this 12 months, accused of espionage. He’s believed to be the primary South Korean detained on espionage prices in Russia in a long time.
Based on media reviews, he could have been a missionary serving to North Korean employees in Russia escape the nation.