Kim Meets Putin As Russia Seeks Closer Military Ties With North-Korea.

By Caroline Ameh

Kim Jong Un’s upcoming journey to Russia to meet with President Vladimir Putin has sparked international interest, as reports suggest they will discuss a potential weapons supply deal for the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. According to sources, Kim will make a rare trip from Pyongyang, possibly via an armored train, to the Russian port city of Vladivostok on the Pacific Coast.

The White House has expressed concerns about the arms negotiations between North Korea and Russia, emphasizing its worries about the deepening military ties between the two nations. While in Vladivostok, Kim and Putin are expected to deliberate over North Korea providing artillery shells and antitank missiles in exchange for advanced Russian technology related to satellites and nuclear-powered submarines.

This planned visit comes at a time when the United States has been monitoring the growing military cooperation between Russia and North Korea. Russia has even mentioned the possibility of joint military exercises with North Korea, aiming for peaceful coexistence with its neighbor.

South Korea’s intelligence agency has reported that Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, who visited Pyongyang earlier, proposed naval exercises involving North Korea, China, and Russia. The Kremlin has also expressed its intention to strengthen its relations with North Korea, a historic Cold War ally, and a country that supported Russia’s annexation of parts of Ukraine in 2022.

While there’s some uncertainty about Kim’s destination, there’s speculation that he might visit Moscow during this trip. This travel by train echoes the style of Kim’s father, the late Kim Jong Il, who last visited Russia shortly before his passing in 2011.

Sergei Shoigu’s visit to North Korea for the 70th anniversary of the end of the Korean War raised questions about possible private meetings with Kim Jong Un. The United States has been actively monitoring arms negotiations between Russia and North Korea and expressed concerns about potential artillery ammunition sales to Russia.

Russia has denied plans for trilateral military drills with North Korea and China, although it sees them as an appropriate response to U.S.-led exercises in the region. While both Russia and North Korea have called for closer military ties, North Korea has consistently denied any involvement in arms dealings with Russia.

Recently, the United States imposed sanctions on entities it accused of being linked to arms deals between North Korea and Russia. In contrast, North Korea has conducted multiple nuclear tests and missile launches in recent years but rarely engages in military exercises with its neighbors. In contrast, the United States and South Korea regularly conduct joint military exercises, which North Korea views as preparations for aggression against it.