North Korean leader Kim Jong-un plans to travel to Russia and meet with President Vladimir Putin this month, the New York Times and Associated Press reported on Monday, citing unnamed US and “allied” officials. Neither Russia nor North Korea has confirmed the report.
The annual Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) is scheduled for September 10-13. The Times adds that Kim also plans to visit a Russian naval base. Kim last met with Putin in Vladivostok in 2019.
The US officials told the Times: “Putin will seek an agreement with Kim for North Korea to sell Russia artillery shells. In return, Kim would like Russia to provide North Korea with advanced technology for satellites and nuclear-powered submarines.”
At the White House, National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson declined to discuss intelligence, but acknowledged that the United States expected “leader-level diplomatic engagement” on the issue of arms sales to take place between Russia and North Korea. “We urge the D.P.R.K. to cease its arms negotiations with Russia and abide by the public commitments that Pyongyang has made to not provide or sell arms to Russia,” she said in a statement. U.S. officials claim that White House warnings about planned transfers of North Korean artillery shells stopped previous cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow.
Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu made a surprise visit to Pyongyang in July, notes RT, where he and Kim attended a military parade, marking the 70th anniversary of the end of the 1950-1953 Korean War. Shoigu later said that Moscow was open to holding joint drills with North Korea. Shoigu also delivered “a personal message” from Putin to Kim, according to the Kremlin.
