Putin accepts Kim’s invitation to go to North Korea, report claims

Vladimir Putin has accepted Kim Jong Un’s invitation to go to North Korea, in line with the nation’s state information company.

While there was no quick affirmation from Moscow, KCNA reviews the Russian president will go to “at a convenient time”.

Kim is at the moment in Russia, the place he has vowed to help the Kremlin’s “sacred war” in opposition to Ukraine, elevating issues the 2 nations may bolster their navy capabilities.

Read extra: Explosions reported in Crimea – Ukraine battle newest

“At the end of the reception, Kim Jong Un courteously invited Putin to visit the DPRK at a convenient time,” KCNA reviews, referring to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the nation’s formal identify.

“Putin accepted the invitation with pleasure and reaffirmed his will to invariably carry forward the history and tradition of the Russia-DPRK friendship.”

The two leaders toasted their friendship on Wednesday with Russian wine after Mr Putin confirmed Kim across the nation’s most trendy house launch facility.

They additionally held talks alongside their defence ministers and known as one another “comrades”.

The burgeoning friendship has involved the West, with Washington accusing North Korea of offering weapons to Russia.

It isn’t clear if any deliveries have been made and the 2 states have denied these claims in any case – however they did promise to deepen defence cooperation.

Kim is due on Thursday to go to navy and civilian aviation factories within the Russian metropolis of Komsomolsk-on-Amur and to examine Russia’s Pacific fleet in Vladivostok, Mr Putin stated.

Military and tech issues at coronary heart of go to

Day two of Kim’s go to to Russia and it’s clear the pink carpet has been properly and actually rolled out.

It is uncommon certainly for Russia to open the door to its navy websites.

But not solely was North Korea’s chief proven a number one house base, Mr Putin stated that at present he would additionally go to an aviation manufacturing unit and be given sight of a navy programme and an indication of Russia’s pacific fleet within the port metropolis of Vladivostok.

We’ve not been advised if any offers have been struck this week and it’s extremely unlikely we’ll ever be taught the specifics, however the symbolism and messaging has been stark: technological and navy issues have been completely the order of enterprise.

It’s not simply the West that might be watching nervously, Asian nations similar to South Korea and Japan can be on the entrance line of any escalation launched by an empowered and assured North Korea.

Even China, an ally, doesn’t actually wish to see its already unreliable associate nuclear succesful.

Russia would as soon as have been cautious too, and Mr Putin did trace yesterday that there must be limits to navy cooperation.

But this go to has made abundantly clear virtually any concern will now be put aside in pursuit of his central objective: victory in Ukraine.

What form of weapons may North Korea present?

Aidan Foster-Carter, a researcher in sociology and trendy Korea at Leeds University, advised Sky News North Korea can most likely provide “good quality ammunitions” to Russia.

He stated Mr Putin and Kim every had one thing the opposite needed – but it surely was nonetheless unclear precisely what that was going to be.

Russia wants artillery shells, he stated, and he’s “betting” Kim wanted cash, meals and low-cost oil.

Asked how Kim may assist Mr Putin, he stated North Korea was a “highly-militarised state” and targeted on producing armour.

“They probably can supply good quality ammunitions,” he stated.

Content Source: information.sky.com