US: Kim Jong Un to visit Putin in Russia for weapons talks - USA Trending Blog
US: Kim Jong Un to visit Putin in Russia for weapons talks - USA Trending Blog
North Korea's Kim Jong Un plans to travel to Russia this month to meet President Vladimir Putin, a US official has told the BBC's US partner CBS.
The two leaders will discuss the possibility of North Korea providing Moscow with weapons to support its war in Ukraine, the official said.
The exact location of the planned meeting is not clear.
Mr Kim is most likely to travel by armoured train, sources told the New York Times.
The possible meeting comes after the White House said it had new information that arms negotiations between the two countries are "actively advancing".
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said that Russia's defence minister recently travelled to North Korea to "try to convince Pyongyang to sell artillery ammunition" to Russia.
The weapons on display at the meeting included the Hwasong intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). It was the first time Mr Kim had opened the country's doors to foreign guests since the Covid pandemic.
Mr Putin and Mr Kim have since exchanged letters "pledging to increase their bilateral co-operation", he said.
"We urge the DPRK to cease its arms negotiations with Russia and abide by the public commitments that Pyongyang has made to not provide or sell arms to Russia," Mr Kirby said, using an acronym for the North.
He warned that the US would take action, including imposing sanctions, if North Korea does supply Russia with weapons, he said.
The meeting could take place in the city of Vladivostok, on the east coast of Russia, the New York Times reports.
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