Kim Jong-un to meet Vladimir Putin in Russia to discuss sending North Korean anti-tank missiles to Ukraine – but only if the Russians give them nuclear submarine technology
North Korea may supply Russia with more weaponry for its war in Ukraine and other military cooperation, it has emerged.
Kim Jong-un plans to travel to Russia this month to hold a ‘leader-level diplomatic engagement’ with Vladimir Putin, the New York Times reported on Monday, citing US and allied sources.
Officials say Kim – who rarely travels outside his country – is likely to travel this month to Vladivostok, on Russia’s Pacific coast not far from North Korea, to meet with Putin.
The planned trip comes after Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu traveled last month to North Korea in a bid to convince Pyongyang to sell artillery ammunition to Russia, officials have claimed.
Russia is also said to be discussing holding joint military exercises with North Korea.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (pictured in July this year) plans to travel to Russia this month to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the possibility of supplying weapons for the war in Ukraine
Kim would travel from Pyongyang, probably by armoured train, to Vladivostok, on the Pacific Coast of Russia, where he would meet with Putin (pictured last year)
Pictured: Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un shake hands during their meeting in Vladivostok, Russia in April 2019
‘As we have warned publicly, arms negotiations between Russia and the DPRK are actively advancing,’ National Security Council (NSC) spokeswoman Adrienne Watson said, using an acronym for the North.
‘We have information that Kim Jong Un expects these discussions to continue, to include leader-level diplomatic engagement in Russia.’
She added: ‘As we have warned publicly, arms negotiations between Russia and the DPRK are actively advancing.’
Last week the White House said that Russia was already in secret, active talks with the North to acquire a range of munitions and supplies for Moscow’s fight in Ukraine.
NSC spokesman John Kirby has claimed that despite its denials, North Korea supplied infantry rockets and missiles to Russia last year for use by the privately controlled Wagner military group.
Watson said Monday that the United States urged North Korea ‘to cease its arms negotiations with Russia and abide by the public commitments that Pyongyang has made to not provide or sell arms to Russia.’
The US has previously warned that North Korea could provide more weapons to Russia, whose forces invaded Ukraine in February 2022, a war that the United States and its European allies vehemently oppose and that Moscow calls a ‘special military operation.’
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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