2023-09-13 09:11:23
It’s a historic handshake to say the least, especially given the context. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un arrived this Wednesday morning at the Vostochny cosmodrome in eastern Russia, where Russian President Vladimir Putin is, with whom he exchanged a handshake, news agencies announced. Russian press.
They will hold talks about “commercial relations” and “international affairs” at the spacecraft launch base, Russian news agencies reported. “We will discuss all subjects without rushing. We have time,” Vladimir Putin said, according to the agencies.
The meeting of the two leaders could lead, according to Washington, to an arms sale agreement to support the Russian offensive in Ukraine. They visited a rocket assembly and launch site at the Vostochny cosmodrome in eastern Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin said he was “very happy” with his meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, ahead of bilateral talks at the Vostochny cosmodrome in eastern Russia.
North Korea ‘will always be with Russia’
“I’m very happy to see you. I thank you for coming to Russia,” declared the Russian president, according to images broadcast on Russian television, specifying that the discussions will focus in particular on the “situation in the region”, “economic cooperation” and “issues humanitarian”.
“The leaders inspected sites of the new cosmodrome: an assembly workshop for the Angara launcher (new generation of Russian rockets), a launch site for Soyuz-2 launchers and a launch site under construction for Angara,” had, shortly before , indicated the Kremlin in a press release.
The choice of the cosmodrome to hold this meeting is symbolic as Vladimir Putin raised the possibility of helping North Korea build satellites. AFP/Mikhail Metzel
“Russia is currently facing (…) such hegemonist forces to protect (its) security interests,” Kim Jong Un said according to Russian television. “We have always expressed our full and unconditional support for all measures taken by the Russian government and I take this opportunity to affirm that we will always be with Russia,” he added.
“I believe my meeting with President Putin will be a springboard for closer bilateral relations,” the North Korean leader said.
Talking about “sensitive subjects”
A few moments earlier, Russian agencies had reported the arrival of the two leaders on site. The Russian head of state had refused to communicate his program on site in advance. The two men must in particular talk about “sensitive subjects”, had indicated in advance the Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitri Peskov.
Departing Pyongyang on Sunday evening aboard an armored train, Kim Jong Un is making his first trip abroad since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. He had already met Vladimir Putin during his previous trip abroad, to Vladivostok in 2019.
Develop rockets
The choice of the cosmodrome to hold this meeting is symbolic. Vladimir Putin has raised the possibility of Russia helping North Korea build satellites, after Pyongyang twice recently failed to put a military spy satellite into orbit.
“That’s why we came here. North Korea’s leader shows great interest in rocket technology. They are trying to develop their space program,” Vladimir Putin said, according to Russian news agencies.
An Chan-il, a defector-turned-researcher who heads the Global Institute for North Korea Studies, said before the meeting that “the spaceport seems to be the optimal location because it meets mutual interests, such as the provision of satellite technology requested by North Korea.
Russia is interested in North Korea’s stockpile of artillery shells, likely used in Ukraine, while Pyongyang is seeking help in modernizing its Soviet-era equipment, particularly for its army. air and its navy, he added.
“If North Korea’s multiple rocket launchers and other artillery shells are supplied to Russia in large quantities, it could have a significant impact on the war in Ukraine,” he added.
Two new missiles fired
North Korea launched two short-range ballistic missiles on Wednesday, the South Korean military said, while leader Kim Jong Un is in Russia.
North Korea fired “two short-range ballistic missiles from the Sunan area towards the East Sea between 11:43 a.m. and 11:53 a.m. today” (2:43 a.m. and 2:53 a.m. GMT Tuesday), the Joint Chiefs of Staff said Seoul Joint Forces, using the Korean name for the Sea of Japan.
“Our armed forces have strengthened their surveillance and vigilance in anticipation of other launches, while remaining ready to intervene in close collaboration with the United States,” indicated the same source. Tokyo also confirmed this launch of two ballistic missiles.
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