00:00Putin's first iconic visit since the start of the Ukraine war Pyongyang prepares for
00:07Russian visit Tensions for Ukraine Putin Kim meet alarms
00:12Kiev Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled
00:17to visit North Korea on June 18th and 19th for talks aimed at expanding military cooperation
00:23between the two countries.
00:25This will be Putin's first visit to North Korea in 24 years, as Russia and North Korea
00:30have increased their military and economic ties in recent times, while facing separate
00:35confrontations with the United States.
00:38During this two-day visit, Putin is expected to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to
00:43discuss ways to deepen their military alliance.
00:47There are growing international concerns that North Korea may be providing Russia with artillery,
00:52missiles and other munitions to aid its war effort in Ukraine in exchange for economic
00:58assistance and military technology transfers from Russia.
01:02The United States first accused North Korea of selling artillery to Russia as far as in
01:07September 2022, seven months after the war started.
01:12At that time, North Korea denied the accusations.
01:15However, in last August, the White House warned that Mr. Putin and the North Korean leader
01:20Kim Jong-un were conducting armed negotiations and in September, Kim Jong-un visited Putin
01:25in eastern Russia.
01:27Just weeks later, the U.S. official also announced that North Korea has already shipped more
01:32than 1,000 containers of arms to Russia for the use in the war in Ukraine.
01:38By March, the officials announced that North Korea has sent close to 7,000 containers of
01:43weapons to Russia, and now Putin is again expected to garner similar benefits from his
01:48visit in North Korea.
01:51Russia right now is believed to be seeking artillery munition and short-range ballistic
01:56missiles from North Korea, while Pyongyang wants advanced military technology from Moscow
02:01in return.
02:02While Russia may be reluctant to share its most cutting-edge weaponry with North Korea,
02:08it desperately needs more ammunition supplies for the Ukraine campaign, according to experts.
02:13And so, such an armed deal may violate the UN Security Council resolution against North
02:18Korea's nuclear and missile program that Russia itself had previously endorsed as a member
02:23of the UN Security Council.
02:25However, both Russia and North Korea have denied allegations of weapon trading.
02:30Yet, the strengthening North Korea-Russia tie partnership is being seen as a bid by
02:35Kim Jong-un to bolster his regional position and form a united front against the United
02:40States.
02:42During a meeting in last September, Kim also invited Putin to visit North Korea, an invitation
02:47the Russian leader also accepted.
02:49Now, with their shared rivalries against Washington, Putin and Kim seem eager to form a closer
02:55alliance through military cooperation and potential armed deals.
Comments