After days of speculation, the Kremlin officially confirmed on Monday that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will visit Russian President Vladimir Putin in Vladivostok in the coming days.
The announcement was made on the Kremlin's website, stating, "At the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Kim Jong-un, will pay an official visit to Russia in the coming days."
Media reports had previously indicated that Kim had boarded his armored train in Pyongyang, heading towards the Russian border. Although no official details have been released, it is speculated that Putin and Kim will meet during the Economic Forum in Russia's Far East city of Vladivostok.
The forum began on Sunday and will last until Wednesday, which is also being considered as a possible date for the meeting between the two leaders.
The U.S. government has repeatedly warned in recent months that Russia could purchase weapon systems from North Korea to continue its war against Ukraine.
The Russian war in Ukraine has been more prolonged, costly, and loss-making than initially planned by the Kremlin. As a result, Russia has already purchased drones of the type Shahed from Iran. North Korea, on the other hand, has been considered a potential supplier of artillery ammunition and missiles.
The visit is seen as a precursor to stronger military cooperation between Russia and North Korea, following the visit of Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu to Pyongyang in August. During that visit, agreements were made for stronger military cooperation.
Kim had visited Russia once before, four years ago, in April 2019. The discussions at that time focused on North Korea's nuclear program and strengthening economic cooperation, although no concrete results were achieved.
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