Snapped on Wednesday, June 19, 2024, and served up by North Korean sources, this photo shows Russian President Vladimir Putin (left center) and Kim Jong Un (right center) chatting on the crimson carpet upon Putin making a grand entrance at Pyongyang International Airport. The snapshot’s authenticity is unverifiable. Korean text on the image reads “KCNA,” standing for Korean Central News Agency. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)
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Just after dawn Wednesday, Putin touched down in North Korea, stating both countries aim to sidestep U.S. sanctions and tighten their partnership amidst escalating disputes with Washington.
Upon landing, Kim Jong Un greeted Putin with a handshake and a hug. Kim then personally escorted him to the Kumsusan State Guest House, reported the Korean Central News Agency, hailing the event as monumental, showcasing the “unbreakable and lasting” bonds of their nations’ camaraderie.
Making his first trip to North Korea in a whopping 24 years, Putin expressed gratitude for North Korea’s steadfast backing of Russia’s 2022 Ukraine offensive.
He affirmed their intention to “staunchly resist” what he described as Western efforts to thwart a just, multipolar global order that respects sovereignty and mutual interests.
His visit drew eyes towards rumors of a deal where North Korea might supply Moscow with munitions critical for Russia’s Ukrainian campaign in exchange for economic perks and tech upgrades, which would bolster North Korea’s nuclear and missile firepower.
In Pyongyang, streets were adorned with Putin’s portraits and Russian flags. A large banner read: “Warm Greetings to the President of the Russian Federation.”
Praising their alliance, Putin mentioned that both nations would create trade and payment systems independent of the West, standing strong against what he termed as “illegal, unilateral restrictions.”
With heavy sanctions from the U.N. over its nuclear drive and missile ambitions, and Russia facing U.S.-led sanctions for its aggression in Ukraine, these nations seem set on defying global pressure.
Putin noted they would also broaden cooperation in tourism, culture, and learning.
Before arriving in North Korea, Putin stopped in Yakutsk, in Russia’s far east, meeting regional Governor Aisen Nikolayev, getting updates on tech and defense projects, and chatting with young professionals.
Accompanying him on this trip are Deputy PM Denis Mantrurov, Defense Minister Andrei Belousov, and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, said his foreign policy adviser, Yuri Ushakov, hinting at potential signings, maybe even a strategic partnership accord.
U.S. and South Korean intel suggests a significant uptick in exchanges between North Korea and Russia since Kim’s meet-up with Putin in Russia’s Far East last September, marking their first meeting since 2019.
Accusations fly from U.S. and South Korean officials against North Korea for allegedly sending artillery, missiles, and military gear to Russia for use in Ukraine, reportedly getting military tech and aid in return. Both Pyongyang and Moscow deny these claims, which would breach U.N. sanctions Russia once supported.
Alongside China, Russia has shielded Kim’s nuclear pursuits, often vetoing U.S.-led sanctions efforts at the U.N.
In March, a Russian veto halted U.N. monitoring of sanctions against North Korea, dodging scrutiny amidst speculations of weapon transactions for the Ukraine war, leading to Western condemnation.
Earlier, Putin gifted Kim a luxurious Aurus Senat limousine, an act seen as breaching a U.N. ban on luxury items to North Korea.
In Washington, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Putin’s North Korea visit highlights Russia’s desperate bid to strengthen ties with nations able to support its aggression against Ukraine.
“North Korea is delivering significant munitions to Russia … and other arms for use in Ukraine. Iran, too, has supplied weaponry including drones against non-military targets,” Blinken commented after a NATO meeting with Jens Stoltenberg.
Stoltenberg voiced worries about “potential Russian support for North Korea’s missile and nuclear endeavors.”
South Korean Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lim Soosuk cautioned that any Russia-North Korea cooperation must not breach U.N. resolutions or destabilize regional peace.
Korean Peninsula tensions are high, with Kim’s weapon tests and U.S.-South Korea-Japan military drills ramping up provocations. Cold War-style antics persist, like North Korea’s trash drop via balloons and South Korea’s anti-North broadcasts.
South Korea’s military reported firing warning shots at North Korean soldiers mistakenly crossing the border, the second such incident this month.
Putin’s efforts to rebuild ties with Pyongyang trace back to the Soviet-era alliances, rekindling connections weakened post-Soviet collapse. Kim and Putin’s 2019 meeting in Vladivostok hinted at this renewed alignment.
After North Korea, Putin’s itinerary includes Vietnam for trade-focused talks, much to the U.S.’s dismay as it cultivates its ties with Vietnam.
“As Russia seeks international backing for its war on Ukraine, we urge nations to not offer Putin a stage to endorse his aggressions or normalize his atrocities,” a U.S. Embassy spokesperson in Vietnam stated.
