Russian President Vladimir Putin to Visit Pyongyang 'Soon', Says North Korea

Pyongyang - With the growing bilateral ties between Russia and North Korea, Pyongyang said that Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his willingness to visit the hermit nation soon. According to North Korea's state-run media, KCNA, Putin accepted North Korea's invitation when he met North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui in Russia last week. As per the reports, Putin expressed “deep thanks” for an invitation by the country's Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un. Last year, Kim stirred major headlines after he made a rare visit to Russia and expressed North Korea's support in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. 

This would mark the Russian leader's first trip to North Korea in more than two decades. The confirmation from Putin came days after Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on January 15 that the Russian leader will visit the Asian nations “in the foreseeable future,” Kyodo News reported. It is believed that Putin's visit to North Korea could come before Russia's presidential election which is scheduled to take place in March this year. The two nations have been enhancing ties with each other ever since the commencement of the Russia-Ukraine war. The two leaders met each other last September at the  Vostochny Cosmodrome space launch centre in Russia's Far East. 

How Russia-North Korea ties become a matter of concern for the West

The last time Putin visited North Korea was in the year 2000 when he held a meeting with Kim's father Kim Jon-il. The growing ties between Putin and Kim in recent years have made the West, especially the United States extremely anxious. What worries the West is that both nations have become actively engaged in arms trade which is considered as a violation of multiple UNSC resolutions. The bolstering ties attracted international attention after Pyongyang transferred ballistic missiles and other weapons to Russia to help the country fight against the Ukrainian forces in the ongoing war.