The leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-un, said on Wednesday (13) that it was his “top priority” to strengthen relations with Russia during a meeting with President Vladimir Putin, a meeting which, according to the US government, could result in an arms deal.
RFI
After visiting the facilities of the Vostochni cosmodrome, including an assembly area for new-generation Russian Angara rockets, the two leaders began talks in the presence of their delegations and then in private, a meeting that lasted more than two hours, according to Russian news agencies.
“I’m very happy to meet you. Thank you for accepting our invitation,” Putin said next to Kim before the meeting began, according to images shown on Russian television.
Kim said that North Korea would make relations with Russia the “top priority” of its diplomacy.
“I take this opportunity to state that we will always stand with Russia,” he said, before emphasizing that the meeting is a “springboard” for strengthening relations.
“Russia is currently facing (…) hegemonic forces to protect its security interests. We have always expressed our full and unconditional support for all the measures taken by the Russian government,” he added.
Putin said that many topics would be addressed at the meeting, including the “situation in the region and economic cooperation”.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov, quoted by the TASS news agency, announced hours earlier that the two leaders would talk “face to face” after bilateral discussions.
The meeting could result, according to Washington, in an arms sales agreement to support Russia’s offensive in Ukraine.
Russian news agencies reported that Russian Defense Minister Serguei Shoigu and Foreign Minister Serguei Lavrov took part in the bilateral discussions, as did Industry Minister Denis Manturov.
Before the meeting, Peskov said that the two leaders would discuss “delicate issues”, without taking into account the “American warnings”.
Trip and symbols
Kim Jong-un left Pyongyang on Sunday evening aboard an armored train. This was the first meeting between the two leaders since the North Korean leader’s trip to Vladivostok in 2019.
Kim Jong-un, accompanied by military commanders, is making his first trip abroad since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.
During Kim’s visit to Russia, North Korea launched an “unidentified ballistic missile towards the East Sea”, announced the Joint Chiefs of Staff in Seoul, using the Korean name for the Sea of Japan. Tokyo cited the launches of two ballistic missiles.
The choice of the cosmodrome for the meeting is symbolic. Putin cited the possibility of Russia helping North Korea to build satellites, after Pyongyang failed in two recent attempts to put a military spy satellite into orbit.
“That’s why we came here. North Korea’s leader shows great interest in rocket technology. They are trying to develop their space program,” Putin said, according to Russian news agencies.
Russia is interested in North Korea’s arsenal of artillery shells, probably used in Ukraine, while Pyongyang is seeking help to modernize its Soviet-era equipment, in particular for the Air Force and Navy.