Putin to Visit North Korea, Praises Kim Jong Un on Support for Ukraine Invasion

Russian President Vladimir Putin to visit North Korea, meeting Kim Jong Un and praising Pyongyang's support for Russia's Ukraine war. US concerned about deepening ties between the two nations. Putin also to visit Vietnam.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has scheduled his first visit to North Korea in 24 years and will be meeting Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang on Tuesday. The visit is taking place as the relations between the two states are becoming increasingly closer, while Putin commended North Korea for standing firmly for Russia’s actions in Ukraine. 

Prior to the visit, Putin wrote a letter to Rodionov, which was published in the North Korean state media, stating that he is ready to develop trade and security cooperation with Pyongyang “that is not under the control of the West. ” Putin also said that he will support North Korea’s efforts to protect itself from what he described as “pressure, blackmail, and military threats from the United States. ”

The two leaders met for the last time in September 2022, in the Russian’s far east city of Vladivostok. In that meeting, Putin for the first time mentioned he saw ‘opportunities’ for military cooperation with North Korea and Kim Jong un wished Russia a ‘victory’ in Ukraine. 

The United States has raised concern of the closening of ties between Russia and North Korea. The White House now says it is not worried about the trip by Mr. Putin, according to NSC spokesperson, John Kirby. What we are concerned here is the fact that the bond between these two countries is increasing day by day.

Sceptics regard the visit as an attempt by Putin to dispel the notion that Russia has been surrounded and locked out by the US and its allies. Essentially, Putin is “maintaining the ties between two old Cold War partners and solidifying the relations between authoritarian regimes at a time when the democratic states are on the back foot,” as asserted by John Nilsson-Wright from the University of Cambridge’s Centre for Geopolitics.

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Following his trip to North Korea, Putin is planned to travel to Vietnam – another country that has a long-standing cooperation with the Soviet Union and now Russia in terms of trade and other aspects. The trip also shows Russia’s determination to retain its clout in the world economy despite measures imposed by Western countries following the Ukraine conflict.