The United States believes that the leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-unhas planned a trip to Russia for this month and will offer to Vladimir Putin provide it with weapons for the war against Ukraine.
“As we have publicly warned, arms negotiations between Russia and the DPRK are actively advancing“said the deputy spokesperson for the National Security Council, Adrienne Watson, on CBS. So far there have been no comments from the two countries involved.
“We have information that Kim Jong-un hopes these discussions will continue until include diplomatic engagement at the leadership level in Russia. We urge the DPRK to cease its arms negotiations with Russia and fulfill the public commitments made by Pyongyang not to provide or sell weapons to Russia,” Watson added in statements reported by the Bloomberg news agency.
US and allied sources told The New York Times, Kim will travel from the North Korean capital, Pyongyang, to the Russian port city of Vladivostok by armored traina visit that could also include a stop in Moscow.
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This possible meeting would come after warnings from the White House about the “advanced” negotiations between North Korea and Russia for the provision of weapons. The New York Times had anticipated the probable trip of Kim, who rarely leaves the country, to Vladivostok on the Russian Pacific coast, to meet with Putin.
The spokesperson for the National Security Council, John Kirbyassured that on a visit to North Korea, the Russian Defense Minister, Sergeu Shoigu, “tried to convince Pyongyang to sell him artillery ammunition” and, since then, both countries have exchanged “letters” with the purpose of strengthening bilateral cooperation.
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In addition, he indicated that although they denied it, North Korea sent infantry rockets and missiles to Russia for the private military group Wagner.
It was the first trip by a foreign official that Kim Jong-un authorized after the pandemic. According to the version, the possible sale would include the hwasong ballistic missile.
Kim and Putin could also meet at an economic event which will be held at the Far Eastern Federal University in Vladivostok from next Sunday to Wednesday. This meeting was already witnessed by the North Korean leader in April 2019 during his last visit to Russia.
