Kim Jong-un to hold weapons talks with Putin after ‘travelling to Russia in armoured train’

Kim Jong-un may be going to Russia this month to meet Vladimir Putin as Moscow tries to negotiate the possibility of receiving military equipment from North Korea for its Ukraine invasion.

North Korea’s leader would travel from Pyongyang, probably by armoured train, to Vladivostok on the Pacific Coast of Russia, where he would meet Mr Putin, reported The New York Times.

Both heads of state could be on the campus of Vladivostok’s Far Eastern Federal University to attend the Eastern Economic Forum, scheduled to take place from 10-13 September, according to the outlet. The date of travel or exact place of meeting, however, is not yet clear.

Pyongyang is expected to ask Moscow to share their advanced technology for satellites and nuclear-powered submarines in exchange for weapons, reported NYT, citing officials on the condition of anonymity.

The US has previously warned North Korea could supply more weapons to Russia, with US National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson noting earlier on Monday that Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu travelled to Pyongyang recently in a bid to persuade North Korea to sell artillery ammunition.

“We have information that Kim Jong Un expects these discussions to continue, to include leader-level diplomatic engagement in Russia,” she said.

She said the US is urging 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”.

The White House said last week that it had intelligence indicating Mr Putin and Mr Kim swapped letters following Mr Shoigu’s visit.

National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the letters were “more at the surface level”, but that Russian and North Korean talks on a weapons sale were advancing.

He also warned of sanctions against Pyongyang if it goes ahead with the weapons supply.

Additional reporting by agencies