The North Korean leader is likely to go to Vladivostok by armoured train to meet the Russian president, according to The New York Times.
Kim Jong-un may be visiting Russia this month to have a dialogue with Vladimir Putin because Moscow makes attempts to negotiate the possibility of receiving military equipment from North Korea for the war in Ukraine. North Korea’s leader probably would go from Pyongyang, by armoured train to Vladivostok on the Pacific Coast of Russia, where he would meet the Russian leader, reported The New York Times. Both heads of states could meet on the campus of Vladivostok’s Far Eastern Federal University. However, they are planning to attend the Eastern Economic Forum, set to take place from September 10-13, according to the outlet. The exact place and date of the meeting is not announced yet.
Pyongyang is expected to ask Moscow to impart their advanced technology for satellites and nuclear-powered submarines in exchange for weapons, reported the NYT, citing anonymous official sources.
The US has previously notified North Korea that it could send more weapons to Russia, with US National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson noting earlier on Monday that Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu has travelled to Pyongyang lately in a bid to persuade North Korea to sell artillery ammunition. She claimed:
“We have information that Kim Jong Un expects these discussions to continue, including leader-level diplomatic engagement in Russia”.
She also added that the US is urging North Korea “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”.
The White House said last week that it had reconnaissance data showing Mr. Putin and Mr. Kim exchanged letters after Mr. Shoigu’s visit. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the letters were “more at the surface level”, but that Russian and North Korean talks on a weapons sale were mobbing forward. He also warned of sanctions against Pyongyang if it goes ahead with the weapons supply.
