The Russian President, Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong UnThey greeted each other this Wednesday during a visit to a Rocket assembly and launch facility at the Vostochny cosmodrome, in eastern Russia. The North Korean leader has been in Russia since Tuesday, where Washington fears the summit between the two countries could lead to an arms sales deal to support Russia’s offensive in Ukraine. So the “Supreme Leader” breaks his isolation by going to the Russian city Vladivostok Seeking diplomatic and technological support against the United States.
During the meeting, Putin raised the possibility that Russia could help North Korea build satellites. “North Korea’s leader shows great interest in missile technology. “They are trying to develop their space program,” the Russian president said, according to Russian news agencies, which add that the Russian president will talk to Kim Jong-un about “all issues.”
Kim Jong Un, for his part, said so “Russia has risen in a holy struggle to defend its sovereignty and security (…) We have always supported and continue to support all of President Putin’s decisions,” Kim told the Russian leader at the start of negotiations between the two at the Russian Vostochny Cosmodrome in the Siberian Amur region.
According to the Interfax agency in the Vostochny Cosmodrome The delegations of both countries will hold negotiations for “several hours”. Putin and Kim will also hold a face-to-face meeting lasting about three hours.
While Kim Jong-un was visiting Russia, his regime in Pyongyang approved the launch of two short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea or Sea of Japan this Wednesday, South Korea’s joint chiefs of staff said. “Our armed forces have increased their surveillance for further launches. although they remain ready to intervene in close cooperation with the United States,” the same source added.
Japan also confirmed the launch of two ballistic missiles. Japanese government spokesman Hirokazu Matsuno told reporters The missiles “appear to have fallen outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone”. American analyst Ankit Panda responded on X (Twitter) and called this “launch without Kim Jong-un in the country” “fascinating.” North Korea has increased its testing of banned weapons since the beginning of the year, most recently on August 30 with two short-range ballistic missiles.
Despite the disagreements between Washington and Seoul, Moscow and Pyongyang appear intent on reaching an agreement that would mean conflictViolation of the resolutions adopted by the UN Security Council against the North Korean regimeof which Russia is a permanent member.
Last week, The New York Times reported that Putin wants North Korea to sell artillery and anti-tank missiles to Russia that Moscow could use in Ukraine, while Pyongyang wants satellite or nuclear propulsion technology for submarines and food aid in return. Although the exact location and date of the meeting between the two leaders is unknown, it is believed that it could take place at the Vostochni Cosmodrome, about 1,500 kilometers north of Vladivostok, in the Amur Region (Siberia).