North Korean leader Kim Jong Un pledged “full support and solidarity” for Russia’s war in Ukraine during a meeting with President Vladimir Putin in Pyongyang. Putin expressed gratitude for Kim’s “unwavering” support on Ukraine and asserted that Moscow is combating the “hegemonic and imperialist policy” of the United States and its allies.
Putin’s visit to North Korea marks the first in 24 years, with relations between the two nations strengthening since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Concerns have risen that North Korea is providing Russia with weapons in exchange for Russian technological expertise, although both countries have denied arms transfers.
Our international correspondent reports from South Korea’s Yeonpyeong, that the two leaders aimed “to put on a united face to the world” despite the crises they face. The meeting culminated in the signing of a new agreement, which Putin described as a “breakthrough” pact that will take ties to a “new level.
Putin arrived in Pyongyang before dawn on Wednesday, where Kim greeted him. The two leaders shook hands, hugged, and traveled together to the Kumsusan State Guest House. They later attended an official welcoming ceremony in Kim Il Sung Square, where rows of soldiers stood at attention and crowds of children gathered.
North Korea’s state news agency KCNA described the meeting as an historic event, emphasizing the “invincibility and durability” of the friendship and unity between North Korea and Russia. The two countries’ relations have “emerged as a strong strategic fortress for preserving international justice, peace and security,” it added.
North Korea has been under strict UN Security Council sanctions for years over its nuclear weapons and missile programs. Russia is also facing sanctions from the United States and its allies over the invasion of Ukraine. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed concern over Putin’s visit to North Korea, stating that Russia is attempting “to develop and to strengthen relations with countries that can provide it with what it needs to continue the war of aggression” in Ukraine.
