Kim Jong Un Heads to Russia for Summit with Vladimir Putin

• Kim Jong Un to visit Russia at Putin’s invitation.
• The US warns of consequences if North Korea strikes arms deal with Russia.
• The meeting likely to take place in Vladivostok, Russia.

Kim Jong Un is set to visit Russia in response to an invitation from Russian President Vladimir Putin, as announced by both Pyongyang and Moscow on Monday.

This development has raised concerns from the United States about the possibility of the two leaders entering into an arms deal.

The US government expressed last week that such a meeting could occur as Russia seeks new sources of weaponry to support its ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

Neither country has specified the exact timing or location of the visit, nor have they revealed the agenda for any potential discussions.

The Kremlin released a statement on Monday indicating that Kim’s official visit to Russia would take place “in the coming days,” while North Korean state media simply stated they would “meet and have a talk.”

The meeting will likely take place in Vladivostok, a city in the Russian Far East where the two leaders previously met in April 2019.

Reports suggest that Putin arrived in Vladivostok on Monday, according to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, as reported by Russia 24.

Kim appears to be traveling to Russia by train, according to a South Korean government official interviewed by the reputed media outlet.

This visit marks Kim Jong Un’s first foreign trip since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. North Korea had imposed strict travel restrictions due to the pandemic, which have only recently begun to ease.

Additionally, this will be Kim’s 10th foreign trip since he assumed power in 2011, with the majority of his trips occurring in 2018 and 2019.

During this period, Kim engaged in negotiations regarding North Korea’s nuclear weapons and missile programs, including three meetings with then-US President Donald Trump (in Singapore, Hanoi, and the Korean Demilitarized Zone) and four trips to China to meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

One of his trips in 2018 was to the Korean Demilitarized Zone to meet with then-South Korean President Moon Jae-in.

Vladivostok is situated approximately 130 km (80 miles) from North Korea’s border. While Kim often prefers traveling in a secure armored train, he has used planes and cars for a significant portion of his foreign trips.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu also visited Pyongyang in July, attempting to persuade North Korea to sell artillery ammunition.

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan issued a warning last Tuesday, cautioning North Korea that it would “pay a price” if it were to strike an arms deal with Russia, though he did not provide specific details on potential consequences.

North Korea is already under United Nations and US sanctions due to its weapons of mass destruction program.

A potential meeting between Putin and Kim could result in North Korea gaining access to weapons that these sanctions have prohibited for two decades, particularly for its nuclear-capable ballistic missile program.

This development comes at a time when over a year and a half of warfare in Ukraine has strained the Russian military, leaving it in need of supplies.