North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un is rolling out the red carpet for Russian President Vladimir Putin, as he makes his first trip to the country in 24 years for a two-day visit to a crucial arms supplier as the war in Ukraine rages on.
Pyongyang has been decorated with Russian flags and portraits of Putin ahead of the Russian President’s visit. In an article for North Korean media ahead of his trip, Putin praised the country for its “unwavering support” during the war in Ukraine and that the two countries are “ready to confront the ambition of the collective West.”
An ICC arrest warrant for Putin in relation to the forced deportation of children from Ukraine to Russia has limited his travel. Because North Korea is not under the ICC’s jurisdiction, it is one of approximately 40 countries that Putin can visit without fear of arrest.
Here’s what to know about the trip:
What is on Putin’s itinerary?
Putin is expected to arrive in Pyongyang Tuesday evening local time. On Wednesday, there will be an official welcome ceremony and Putin will be presented with a guard of honor, a group of soldiers who will ceremonially greet the Russian President.
Afterwards, Putin and Kim are expected to engage in private talks. During his time in Pyongyang, Putin will also attend a gala concert and visit the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity, the only Orthodox Christian church in North Korea, the BBC reported.
Where will Putin stay?
Putin is expected to stay at the Kumsusan guesthouse in Pyongyang, which housed Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2019.
Putin will spend just one night in North Korea before heading to Vietnam on Wednesday evening for talks focused on economic and commercial matters, including arms sales, according to Reuters.
What does Putin want from Kim?
The U.S. first accused North Korea of supplying weapons to Russia amid its war in Ukraine as early as September 2022, a charge Pyongyang has denied. Last week, South Korea’s defense chief Shin Wonsik said in an interview with Bloomberg that Seoul has detected 10,000 containers sent from Pyongyang to Russia. The containers could hold nearly 5 million artillery shells, he added.
North Korea may also have supplied anti-tank missiles, portable surface-to-air missiles, rifles, rocket launchers, mortars, and shells, South Korean officials said in November.
As Russia’s war with Ukraine has dragged on, the country’s supply of ammunition and other military hardware has dwindled. That has fueled growing concerns about an arms deal which sees Pyongyang supply weapons in exchange for economic assistance and technology transfers.
North Korea remains under heavy U.S.-led sanctions for its nuclear weapons and missile programs. As he headed to Pyongyang on Tuesday, Putin said both countries would cooperate to overcome sanctions.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Putin has increasingly found himself isolated from the West. In the last year, he has emphasized the importance of Russia’s ties to Iran and China.