World
United States: Kim Jong-un supports ‘comrade’ Vladimir Putin’s ‘sacred’ war against ‘evil’ West
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MOSCOW/SEOUL: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian president Vladimir Putin met for a rare summit on Wednesday at which they discussed military matters, the war in Ukraine and possible Russian help for the secretive Communist state’s satellite programme. Putin showed Kim around Russia’s most advanced space rocket launch site in Russia’s Far East after Kim arrived by train from North Korea. Kim asked numerous detailed questions about rockets as Putin showed him around the Vostochny Cosmodrome.
After the tour, Putin, 70, and Kim, 39, held talks for several hours with their ministers and then one-on-one, followed by a an opulent lunch of Russian “pelmeni” dumplings made with Kamchatka crab and then sturgeon with mushrooms and potatoes. Kim raised a toast with a glass of Russian wine to Putin’s health, to the victory of “great Russia” and to Korean-Russian friendship, predicting victory for Russia in its “sacred fight” with the West in the Ukraine war. “The Russian army and people will certainly win a great victory in the sacred struggle for the punishment of a great evil that claims hegemony and feeds an expansionist illusion,” he said.
US and South Korean officials have expressed concern that Kim would provide weapons and ammunition to Russia, which has expended vast stocks in more than 18 months of war in Ukraine. Moscow and Pyongyang have denied such intentions. Putin gave several hints that military cooperation was discussed but disclosed few details. Russia has joined China in opposing new sanctions on North Korea, blocking a US-led push and publicly splitting the UNSC for the first time since it started punishing Pyongyang in 2006. Asked about military ties, Putin said Russia complied with international rules but that there were opportunities to explore
The choice to meet at Vostochny Cosmodrome – a symbol of Russia’s ambitions as a space power – was notable, as North Korea twice failed to launch reconnaissance satellites in the past four months. When asked by Russian media, if Moscow would help Kim build satellites, Putin said: “That’s why we came here.” For Russia, the meet was an opportunity to needle the US, though it was unclear just how far Putin was prepared to go in fulfilling any North Korean wish lists of technology. Kim is also thought to have asked for food aid in return, BBC reported.
Putin said Kim now planned to visit military and civilian aviation factories in the city of Komsomolsk-on-Amur and inspect the Russia’s Pacific fleet in Vladivostok. Putin and Kim called each other “comrades” and Putin reminded Kim that it was the Soviet Union which backed North Korea – and was first to recognise it just over 75 years to the day since it was established.
After the tour, Putin, 70, and Kim, 39, held talks for several hours with their ministers and then one-on-one, followed by a an opulent lunch of Russian “pelmeni” dumplings made with Kamchatka crab and then sturgeon with mushrooms and potatoes. Kim raised a toast with a glass of Russian wine to Putin’s health, to the victory of “great Russia” and to Korean-Russian friendship, predicting victory for Russia in its “sacred fight” with the West in the Ukraine war. “The Russian army and people will certainly win a great victory in the sacred struggle for the punishment of a great evil that claims hegemony and feeds an expansionist illusion,” he said.
US and South Korean officials have expressed concern that Kim would provide weapons and ammunition to Russia, which has expended vast stocks in more than 18 months of war in Ukraine. Moscow and Pyongyang have denied such intentions. Putin gave several hints that military cooperation was discussed but disclosed few details. Russia has joined China in opposing new sanctions on North Korea, blocking a US-led push and publicly splitting the UNSC for the first time since it started punishing Pyongyang in 2006. Asked about military ties, Putin said Russia complied with international rules but that there were opportunities to explore
The choice to meet at Vostochny Cosmodrome – a symbol of Russia’s ambitions as a space power – was notable, as North Korea twice failed to launch reconnaissance satellites in the past four months. When asked by Russian media, if Moscow would help Kim build satellites, Putin said: “That’s why we came here.” For Russia, the meet was an opportunity to needle the US, though it was unclear just how far Putin was prepared to go in fulfilling any North Korean wish lists of technology. Kim is also thought to have asked for food aid in return, BBC reported.
Putin said Kim now planned to visit military and civilian aviation factories in the city of Komsomolsk-on-Amur and inspect the Russia’s Pacific fleet in Vladivostok. Putin and Kim called each other “comrades” and Putin reminded Kim that it was the Soviet Union which backed North Korea – and was first to recognise it just over 75 years to the day since it was established.
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