In order to meet with President Vladimir Putin and discuss the possibility of providing Moscow with arms for the war in Ukraine, Kim Jong Un intends to visit Russia this fortnight. According to Russia, North Korea and Russia are pursuing closer military relationships.
Kim would visit Vladivostok, on Russia’s Pacific Coast, to meet Putin in a rare foreign trip, according to the New York Times on Monday( Sept 4 ), citing US and allied options. He would likely go there by armored train from Pyongyang.
The two leaders do talk about Kim sending Russia gun shells and antitank weapons in exchange for Moscow’s cutting-edge satellite and nuclear-powered ships while they were in Vladivostok, a port city close to North Korea, according to the paper.
The announcement of Kim’s planned attend came after Russia said it was debating holding joint military exercises with North Korea, at a time when the United States has expressed concern about the two nations’ growing military ties.
These are our neighbors, so why not. You don’t choose your neighbors, so it’s better to live with them in peace and harmony, according to an old Russian proverb, Sergei Shoigu, the defense secretary of Russia, was quoted by the Interfax news agency on Monday.
He responded that they were” of program” being discussed when asked about the possibility of shared activities between the two nations, it said.
Shoigu, who visited Pyongyang in July, reportedly suggested to Kim that their nations hold a naval exercise alongside China, according to North Korean media firm Yonhap.
ALLIES OF THE COLD WAR
The Kremlin announced last week that Moscow plans to strengthen its” mutually respectful ties” with Pyongyang, one of its adjacent Cold War friends and one among a select few nations that will support Russia’s announced conquest of some of Ukraine in 2022.
Kim might travel to Moscow, according to The New York Times, though that was not sure.
Just a few months before his passing in 2011, Kim Jong Il, Kim’s lonely father, who was known for avoiding airplanes and just taking armored trains, made his last trip to Russia.
Shoigu traveled to North Korea in July to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Korean War’s end, which is known as” Victory Day” there. According to Yonhap, the National Intelligence Service of South Korea claimed that he appeared to have met with Kim privately.
The United States expressed concern last week that active arms conversations between Russia and North Korea were taking place and that Shoigu had attempted to persuade Pyongyang to promote Russia artillery ammunition during his attend.
Alexander Matsegora, the Russian ambassador to North Korea, told the TASS news agency on Saturday that while he was unaware of any plans for the country to take part in trilateral military drills with China and Russia, in his opinion it would be” appropriate” given US-led exercises in the area.
Although North Korea has denied having any” hands relations” with Russia, Russia has recently called for closer military relationships.
Recently, the United States imposed restrictions on three parties it claimed were connected to wings agreements between North Korea and Russia.
Since 2006, North Korea has conducted six nuclear exams, and it has recently been testing a number of weapons, but it hardly ever engages in defense drills with its neighbors.
Standard military drills between the United States and its friend, South Korea, are criticized by North Korea as war preparations. & nbsp,