BEIJING, Sep 3: Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un held bilateral talks in Beijing on Wednesday, marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.
The two leaders met at the Diaoyutai state guest house after attending a major military parade in Beijing. After a bilateral meeting between Russian and North Korean delegations, they held a one-on-one meeting. Putin invited Kim to visit Russia again, following his last visit in 2023.
Putin praised the bravery and heroism of North Korean soldiers who fought alongside Moscow’s troops to repel a Ukrainian incursion into Russia’s Kursk border region.
South Korean assessments show that North Korea has sent around 15,000 troops to Russia since last year and sent large quantities of military equipment to fuel Putin’s three-year invasion of Ukraine.
Kim said that cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow has “significantly strengthened” since the two countries signed a strategic partnership pact in June last year during a summit in the North Korean capital.
He stressed that if there is anything he can do for Russia and the people of Russia, he will consider it as a fraternal duty and will be prepared to do everything possible to help.
Observers are waiting to see if Kim possibly meets Xi Jinping bilaterally or holds a private trilateral meeting with Xi and Putin, although none of the three countries have confirmed such an event. (AP)
