Russian President Vladimir Putin has arrived in North Korea in his first trip to the reclusive country in 24 years, Russian news outlets reported Wednesday, as he is set to hold a summit with leader Kim Jong-un in another sign of their deepening ties.
Putin began his state visit to Pyongyang, according to Sputnik and TASS, amid growing concerns that burgeoning bilateral defense cooperation would help prop up Russia’s war operations in Ukraine and enhance North Korea’s weapons programs to the detriment of regional and global peace.
Kim greeted the Russian leader at the airport, reports said — a spectacle underscoring their growing bond that has jelled in the midst of crippling international sanctions against their countries and their diplomatic isolation on the global stage.
Putin last visited Pyongyang in July 2000 when he met with then North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, the late father of the current leader. This week’s visit comes nine months after the current North Korean leader had a summit with Putin i
n Russia’s Far East in September.
Yuri Ushakov, Putin’s foreign policy aide, has told TASS that the summit between Kim and Putin may produce a treaty on a “comprehensive strategic partnership,” a document expected to accelerate and broaden the two countries’ cooperation.
Since the summit in September, Pyongyang and Moscow have been strengthening their security partnership in ways reminiscent of their countries’ Cold War-era camaraderie.
Washington has revealed that the North has supplied Russia with dozens of ballistic missiles and more than 11,000 containers of munitions for use in Ukraine.
In return, the North has been seeking assistance from Moscow, including fighter aircraft, surface-to-air missiles, armored vehicles and ballistic missile production equipment, according to U.S. officials.
As Putin arrived in the North, the White House reiterated concerns about military ties between Pyongyang and Moscow.
“Deepening cooperation between Russia and the DPRK is a trend that should be of great concern to
anyone interested in maintaining peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, upholding the global nonproliferation regime, abiding by the U.N. Security Council resolutions and supporting the people of Ukraine as they defend for their freedom and their independence against Russia’s aggression,” White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre told a press briefing.
DPRK stands for the North’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
Analysts said Kim and Putin may adopt a joint declaration that calls for both sides to elevate the level of military, security and economic cooperation, but they saw a low possibility of them clinching a treaty akin to a military alliance.
The two sides are also expected to highlight cooperation in the economic sector, as their arms deals and military cooperation constitute a violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions banning Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile programs, according to observers.
In an article contributed Tuesday to the Rodong Sinmun, the North’s mai
n newspaper, Putin said Russia has a plan to build trade and settlement systems with North Korea that will not be controlled by Western countries.
Source: Yonhap News Agency