Kim Jong-un is set to meet Vladimir Putin in Russia as the North Korean leader considers sending anti-tank missiles to Ukraine
KIM Jong-Un will reportedly travel to Russia this month to sit down with fellow tyrant Vladimir Putin to discuss a possible arms deal.
It has been claimed that the North Korean leader, who rarely leaves his country, will board an armored train for the journey.
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The two despots will reportedly discuss the possibility of Kim providing Moscow with a fearsome arsenal of weapons for the war in Ukraine.
According to the New York Timesthe couple will hold a “senior diplomatic engagement” at an undisclosed location.
US and allied sources claim Kim will travel to Vladivostok on Russia’s Pacific coast near North Korea for the meeting.
It is reported that both partners will offer supplies during the negotiations, which are expected to take place in early September.
Kim is reportedly willing to hand Putin artillery shells and anti-tank missiles in exchange for satellite and nuclear submarine technology.
The White House has already warned that arms talks between North Korea and Russia are “actively progressing”.
According to Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, the two nations have close military ties and plan to hold joint war games.
He traveled to Pyongyang in August hoping to persuade North Korea to sell artillery ammunition to Putin.
Another group of Russian officials reportedly traveled to Kim’s capital after Shoigu’s trip for further talks.
Kim and Putin have reportedly exchanged letters since then, in which they “promised to increase their bilateral cooperation.”
The US government now has reason to believe that “Kim Jong-Un expects these discussions to continue,” said Adrienne Watson, spokeswoman for the National Security Council (NSC).
But this time the talks will “include senior-level diplomatic engagement in Russia.”
“As we have publicly warned, arms negotiations between Russia and the DPRK are actively progressing,” Watson said.
“We urge the DPRK to halt its arms negotiations with Russia and to honor Pyongyang’s public pledges not to supply or sell arms to Russia.”
The US warned it would take action, including imposing sanctions, if North Korea doesn’t back down.
Putin has never been more isolated on the world stage as he continues his brutal but unsuccessful assault on Ukraine.
He previously praised Kim for his “determined support” of the invasion, despite North Korea denying it had offered arms to Russia.
Pyongyang appears to be deepening its ties with Moscow and finding common ground in its rivalries with Washington and the West.
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