White House flags meeting between Putin and Kim
The White House said on Monday that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un expects to hold a "leader-level diplomatic engagement" with President Vladimir Putin in Russia. "As we have warned publicly, arms negotiations between Russia and the DPRK are actively advancing," National Security Council (NSC) spokeswoman Adrienne Watson said, using an acronym for the North. "We have information that Kim Jong-un expects these discussions to continue, to include leader-level diplomatic engagement in Russia," she added. Last week the White House said that Russia was already in secret, active talks with the North to acquire a range of munitions and supplies for Moscow's fight in Ukraine. NSC spokesman John Kirby said that despite its denials, North Korea supplied infantry rockets and missiles to Russia last year for use by the privately-controlled Wagner military group. Watson said Monday that the United States urged North Korea "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." "As we have warned publicly, arms negotiations between Russia and the DPRK are actively advancing," she added. Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu travelled last month to North Korea seeking to acquire additional munitions for the war, she said. According to The New York Times, officials say Kim -- who rarely travels outside his country -- is likely to travel this month to Vladivostok, on Russia's Pacific coast not far from North Korea, to meet with Putin. (AFP)