US leader Kim Jong-un is planning a visit to Russia this month, where he will meet with President Vladimir Putin about the possibility of Pyongyang giving Moscow more weapons for the war in Ukraine.
According to The New York Times, citing US and allied officials, Putin wants North Korea to sell artillery and anti-tank missiles to Russia, while Pyongyang seeks advanced technology to make satellites and nuclear-powered submarines.
In addition, Kim is seeking food aid for his country, detailed the New York newspaper, quoted by the Efe agency.
Kim rarely travels outside of North Korea, and the meeting with Putin is scheduled to travel from Pyongyang, possibly by armored train, to Vladivostok on Russia’s Pacific coast, The New York Times also reported.
In this way, the meeting between Putin and Kim could take place outside the Eastern Economic Forum, which will take place between September 12 and 15 at the Far Eastern Federal University, in that town.
According to The Washington Post, citing a US official, the White House already had information last week about the exchange of “correspondence” between Kim and Putin.
Questioned by EFE, the White House did not confirm the information published by the two newspapers.
However, Adrienne Watson, a spokeswoman for the White House National Security Council, explained to the EFE agency that the United States is aware that Kim wants talks on arms sales to Russia to continue and include “diplomatic contacts at the level of leaders in Russia”. .
The United States has warned for months that Pyongyang has sent weapons to Russian forces for use in Ukraine as the conflict has depleted Russian state reserves.
In December, the White House alleged that North Korea had delivered “rockets” and infantry missiles to the Wagner mercenary group, which played a key role in the Russian offensive in eastern Ukraine.
However, following Wagner’s failed armed rebellion attempt in June, the relationship between Moscow and Pyongyang on arms purchases has undergone a significant change and is now conducted at the government level, rather than run through a private group of mercenaries, according to the White House.
Washington detailed last week that Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu visited Pyongyang at the end of July to request the purchase of artillery ammunition, and since then both countries have exchanged communications with the aim of strengthening bilateral cooperation.
In addition, according to the White House, after Shoigu’s visit, another group of Russian officials traveled to Pyongyang to continue negotiations on possible arms deals between the two countries.
Source: TSF
