Putin to Visit North Korea for the First Time in 24 Years

 

Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit North Korea on Tuesday and Wednesday, marking his first visit to the country in 24 years. This visit highlights the growing partnership between Russia and the nuclear-armed state since the invasion of Ukraine.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un extended the invitation to Putin during his visit to Russia's Far East last September. Putin last visited Pyongyang in July 2000.

In Washington, the White House expressed concern over the deepening relationship between Russia and North Korea. The US State Department stated it is "quite certain" Putin will seek arms to support his war in Ukraine.

Putin's foreign policy adviser, Yuri Ushakov, mentioned that Russia and North Korea might sign a partnership agreement during the visit, which will include security issues. He emphasized that the deal would not target any other country but would outline prospects for further cooperation, considering recent international politics, economics, and security developments.

The delegation accompanying Putin includes Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, and Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak, Putin's point man for energy.

Following his visit to North Korea, Putin will travel to Vietnam on June 19-20, as previously announced by the Kremlin.

Russia has been publicizing its renewed relationship with North Korea since the start of the Ukraine war, causing alarm in the United States and its allies in Europe and Asia. Washington claims that North Korea has supplied weapons to Russia for use in Ukraine, although Pyongyang and Moscow have denied this.

US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller reiterated allegations on Monday that North Korea had provided "dozens of ballistic missiles and over 11,000 containers of munitions to Russia" for the Ukraine conflict. He noted that the US has seen Putin becoming "incredibly desperate" in recent months, seeking support from Iran and North Korea to compensate for battlefield losses.

US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell expressed concern last week about what Russia might offer North Korea in return, speculating about possible exchanges of hard currency, energy, or capabilities to advance North Korea's nuclear or missile programs.

For Putin, courting Kim allows him to challenge Washington and its Asian allies. United Nations monitors reported that at least one ballistic missile fired from Russia in Ukraine in January was made in North Korea. Ukrainian officials claim about 50 such missiles have been delivered to Russia by North Korea.

"The list of countries willing to welcome Putin is shorter than ever, but for Kim Jong Un, this visit is a victory," said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Seoul's Ewha University. "Not only does the summit upgrade North Korea's status among countries standing against the US-led international order, but it also helps bolster Kim's domestic legitimacy."

South Korea's vice foreign minister, Kim Hong-kyun, discussed Putin's Pyongyang visit in an emergency phone call with Campbell on Friday. Seoul's foreign ministry expressed concern that the visit could lead to increased military cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow, which would violate UN resolutions.

Russia has stated that it will develop relations with North Korea as it chooses and will not be dictated to by any country, especially the United States. The UN Security Council, where Russia holds a veto, imposed sanctions on North Korea after its first nuclear test in 2006. Experts believe Pyongyang has continued developing nuclear weapons and producing fissile materials since then.

In March, Russia vetoed the annual renewal of a panel of experts monitoring the enforcement of UN sanctions. South Korea's UN ambassador compared this move to "destroying a CCTV to avoid being caught red-handed" violating the sanctions.

Russia argues that world powers need a new approach to North Korea, accusing the US and its allies of trying to "strangle" the reclusive state.

Jenny Town, of the 38 North program at Washington's Stimson Center think tank, said Russia's outreach to Pyongyang is part of its efforts to build an alternative to a US-led world order. She believes that Russia sees value in North Korea as a military partner in its opposition to the West, which incentivizes them to do more beyond just arms deals for Russia's war efforts in Ukraine.

For North Korea, its relationship with Russia brings support at the UN and "immediate and tangible results" in economic, military, and agricultural cooperation and trade, which the countries have not experienced since the 1990s.

Kim traveled to Russia by train in 2019 and again last year, where he and Putin toasted each other over Russian wine.