Lagatar24 Desk
Moscow, Sep 12: Kim Jong Un, the leader of North Korea, arrived in Russia on Tuesday ahead of his anticipated and widely watched summit with Vladimir Putin, according to official media cited by CNN.
The heavily armoured private train of Kim Jong Un has arrived in Russia for the summit amid a US warning that a weapons deal between the two leaders was possible.
CNN cited the Russian state news agency RIA in reporting that the train was headed north through Primorsky Krai in the nation’s Far East.
The Defence Ministry of South Korea said that the North Korean leader arrived in Russia early on Tuesday.
In a video posted by Russia Today on Monday and geolocated by CNN, it was also evident that the train allegedly transporting Kim was passing via the Tumen River border crossing between Russia and North Korea.
Jeon Ha-kyu, a spokesman for the South Korean Defence Ministry stated that he ministry is keenly watching to see if North Korea and Russia will go forward with talks on an arms trade and a technology transfer.
Russia is in desperate need of new ammo and shells, whereas North Korea, which has been subject to years of international sanctions because of its nuclear weapons program, is currently short of everything, including hard currency, food and missile technology, CNN reported.
Additionally, King Jong left Pyongyang on Sunday afternoon together with senior party leaders, members of the administration and military personnel, CNN reported quoting the North Korean news agency KCNA.
However, neither North Korea nor Russia has provided a date or location for the visit. Even the agenda has not been disclosed.
The meeting will be a “full-blown visit, with talks between the two delegations,” according to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, who also added that bilateral relations between the countries will be a priority.
Peskov added that a formal dinner will be held to celebrate Kim’s arrival.
As North Korea’s borders were closed during the COVID-19 outbreak, North Korean leader Kim’s travel to Russia will be his first foreign trip since then, CNN reported.
Kim’s earlier trips abroad, including his first meeting with Putin, took place in 2018 and 2019 as he took part in a number of discussions about the nation’s nuclear and missile programmes.
However, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan stated last week that the US considers the talks between North Korea and Russia to be “actively advancing” and warned that North Korea will pay a “price” if it provides Russia with weapons to fight its war against Ukraine.
