MOSCOW: The Kremlin has refrained from confirming the possibility of a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, despite claims by US officials. Speculation about Kim’s rare visit to neighboring Russia has been circulating in the media.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated, “No, we cannot” confirm this when asked about a potential meeting between Kim and Putin. “We have nothing to say on this.”
This development comes at a time when Washington has accused Pyongyang of supplying weapons to Moscow for its ongoing Ukraine offensive. Russia, among a limited number of nations, maintains a diplomatic relationship with the secretive state and has been strengthening its ties with North Korea in recent months.
Kim’s Visit to Russia
Russia’s Defense Minister, Sergei Shoigu, who visited North Korea in July, announced on Monday that Moscow was planning joint military exercises with Pyongyang. Shoigu commented, “Why not? They are our neighbors,” when asked about the possibility of these exercises.
Shoigu’s visit to Pyongyang in July marked him as Kim Jong Un’s first known foreign guest since the COVID-19 pandemic. During his visit, he was personally guided by the North Korean leader to inspect Pyongyang’s nuclear missiles.
Russia shares a short border with North Korea along its Pacific coast. If Kim’s visit materializes, it is expected that he will cross the border via an armored train, similar to his 2019 visit when he met Putin in the far-eastern Russian city of Vladivostok.
