Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to make his "friendly" visit to North Korea on June 18-19, as announced by the Kremlin on Monday. This visit comes amid Western suspicions that Pyongyang is supplying Moscow with weapons for its offensive in Ukraine.
Putin is visiting the most isolated nation on earth in an attempt to gather support for his military campaign against Ukraine, which was initiated in February 2022 and has pushed Moscow into unheard-of levels of isolation on a worldwide scale. This visit follows Putin's meeting with North Korea's Kim Jong Un nine months ago in the Russian Far East, where they exchanged high praises.
"President Vladimir Putin on June 18-19 will go to the North Korean Democratic Republic on a friendly state visit," the Kremlin said, AFP reported.
West, South Korea, Ukraine Accuses North Korea Of Supplying Arms To Russia
Western nations, along with South Korea and Kyiv, have accused North Korea of sending weapons to Russia for its use in war against Ukraine, violating UN sanctions. In return, Russia is said to be helping Pyongyang with its satellite program and providing food aid.
Putin, who has scaled down his international travel since the Ukraine invasion, has made some notable trips to key allies like China. North Korea, known for its diplomatic isolation, has further limited its foreign engagements since the COVID pandemic.
The historical relationship between Russia and North Korea dates back to the role of the Soviet Union in establishing North Korea after the Korean War. Regardless of the fall of the USSR, Russia has maintained diplomatic relations with Pyongyang.
This will be Putin's second visit to North Korea during his tenure, the first was 24 years ago when he met Kim Jong Un's father, Kim Jong Il. Back then, Putin frequently travelled to the US and Europe. Now, under international sanctions and wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC), Putin is not welcome in much of the Western world.
Kim stated that the last week's ties with Russia had "developed into an unbreakable relationship of comrades-in-arms". When the two leaders met in September, Kim expected the head of the Kremlin "victory" in Ukraine, while Putin expressed his interest in "possibilities" for military cooperation with North Korea.
They exchanged rifles as symbolic gifts, and the Kremlin promised that Putin would make his visit again. Since then, several Russian officials, including the spy chief of Moscow, have travelled to North Korea to prepare for the visit.
In March, Russia used its UN Security Council veto to effectively terminate UN monitoring of North Korean sanctions violations, a move perceived as a win for Pyongyang.
Russia Rejects Claim Of Using North Korea's Weapons In Ukraine
Both Russia and North Korea have rejected that North Korean weapons are being used in Ukraine. However, Kim Yo Jong, Kim Jong Un's influential sister, accused Seoul and Washington last month of "misleading public opinion" on the matter. Despite these denials, Ukraine has reported discovering North Korean shells on the battlefield.
As the Kremlin and Pyongyang have publicly strengthened their ties, Moscow's relationship with South Korea, a supporter of Ukraine, has become significantly strained. Seoul, a major arms supplier to Kyiv, had its President Yoon Suk Yeol proclaim support to Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky in a phone call last month.
Earlier this year, Russia detained Baek Won-soon, a South Korean man, on spy charges. He is believed to be the first South Korean detained on such charges in Russia in decades. Media reports confirmed that he may have been a missionary assisting North Korean workers in Russia to escape.