North Korean leader Kim Jong Un expressed full support for Russia's "sacred fight" against Western hegemony during a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia's Far East.
The meeting, held on Wednesday, is raising international concerns as it comes amid North Korea's ballistic missile tests and Russia's ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
"The DPRK leader shows great interest in rocket tech; they are also trying to develop space," Putin told reporters, answering the question of whether Russia will help the DPRK build space satellites.
"That’s why we are here".
Both the United States and South Korea have expressed worries that the summit could lead to an arms deal that might replenish Russia's dwindling stockpile of weapons and ammunition, spent in over 18 months of war in Ukraine. Moscow and Pyongyang have dismissed these concerns.
The meeting is highly significant for both nations, which have found themselves increasingly isolated on the global stage. According to Kim, the summit highlights the "strategic importance" of ties between Russia and North Korea.
The international community is closely watching the developments. South Korea and the United States have warned that a potential arms deal would violate U.N. Security Council resolutions, which Russia, as a permanent member, had previously approved.
The summit ended with a lunch featuring crab dumplings, sturgeon, and Russian wine. Yet, as the two leaders toasted to each other's health, the implications of their meeting remain far from celebratory for many around the world.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia's ties with North Korea involve "sensitive" areas, including military cooperation, but they are not targeted at other countries.
