The meeting was expected. Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un met at the Russian Vostochny Cosmodrome in eastern Russia. They exchanged a handshake there according to a video released by the Kremlin on Wednesday, before beginning bilateral discussions for two hours.
According to Russian state news agency TASS, talks in the presence of the delegations first took place, followed by a one-on-one exchange between the two heads of state. A lunch in honor of Kim is underway, according to TASS.
Speaking to Russian television, Putin said before the start of the discussions that he was “very happy” to see Kim Jong-un. “Thank you for coming to Russia,” he said, according to footage broadcast on Russian television. For his part, the North Korean leader said his country would make bilateral ties with Russia the “top priority” of its foreign policy.
Kim Jong-un said his meeting with President Putin would be “a springboard for closer bilateral relations.” According to him, “Russia is currently facing […] such hegemonistic forces to protect [its] security interests.” He also “seized the opportunity” to reiterate his “total and unconditional” support for the Kremlin and assure that his country will “always be with Russia.” He then praised the “heroic” Russian army in Ukraine and assured Vladimir Putin that Russia would achieve “a great victory” against its mainly Western enemies.
The Russian president, for his part, said he was toasting “future strengthening of cooperation” with Pyongyang. “To the well-being and prosperity of our people,” he added in a solemn tone. He continued by saying he sees “prospects” of military cooperation, despite international sanctions already targeting Pyongyang over its nuclear and missile programs in development. “There are some restrictions. Russia respects all these restrictions. But there are things that we can definitely talk about, we discuss them, we think about them,” he told Russian state television.
Vladimir Putin subsequently affirmed that the Russian Pacific Fleet would “demonstrate” its military capabilities to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Vladivostok, without specifying when it would take place. “It’s just about demonstrating the capabilities of the Pacific Fleet” to Kim, he told Russian television. Kim Jong-un will also visit “civilian and military” aircraft equipment factories in the region.
From the start of their meeting, he had raised the possibility that Russia would help North Korea build satellites. “That’s why we came here. North Korea’s leader shows great interest in rocket technology. They are trying to develop their space program,” Putin said according to Russian news agencies.
