The president of Russia and the leader of North Korea will discuss “sensitive issues” that will not be revealed, important to the “interests” of both countries, the Kremlin said on Tuesday.
“Of course, being neighbors, our countries also cooperate in sensitive areas, which should not be the subject of any public disclosure or announcement. But this is quite natural for neighboring states,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. local media from Vladivostok. in the Russian Far East.
Peskov indicated that the talks between Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un will include issues related to bilateral relations and cooperation, trade and economic ties and cultural exchanges, as well as international and regional issues, but also “sensitive issues.”
“For us, what is important is the interests of our two countries and not warnings from Washington,” he said, commenting on US warnings about military-technical cooperation between the two countries, according to the Russian news agency Interfax.
Last week, The New York Times reported that Putin would be interested in purchasing artillery and anti-tank missiles from North Korea, possibly for Moscow to use in Ukraine. In exchange, Pyongyang would like to receive satellite or nuclear submarine technology and food aid.
In Vladivostok, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko stated that the issue of humanitarian aid to North Korea could be one of the topics to be discussed between Putin and Kim.
Peskov added that Russia is also ready to continue talks on Western sanctions on Pyongyang if the North Korean “comrades” want to address this issue.
Without revealing the day or place where the meeting will take place, the second since April 2019, the Kremlin spokesperson added that there will be negotiations between the two delegations accompanying the two leaders, “face-to-face communication” between Putin and Kim. . and an official dinner in honor of the North Korean leader. “No press conferences are planned,” he said.
Several observers said the meeting was likely to take place on Wednesday, after Putin had completed his engagements at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, where he spoke at Tuesday’s plenary session.
Kim’s convoy crossed the border into Russia this morning (local time), South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense and Russian state television reported.
According to photographs published by North Korean media, Kim is accompanied by Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui and Defense Minister Kang Sun-nam, and military representatives, including the director of the Department of Industrial Munitions, Jo Chun-nam. ryong, and Pak Thae-song. Secretary of Science and Education of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party, linked to the North Korean space program.
Source: TSF
