CNN
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Hundreds of North Koreans chanting “welcome Putin” lined Pyongyang’s vast boulevards waving Russian and North Korean flags and bouquets of flowers Wednesday as Russian President Vladimir Putin kicked off his first go to to North Korea in 24 years.
Putin was met with exuberant fanfare for a welcome ceremony along with his counterpart Kim Jong Un at Kim Il Sung Sq. within the coronary heart of the North Korean capital, the place mounted troopers, navy personnel and kids holding balloons cheered in opposition to the backdrop of enormous portraits of the 2 leaders.
Putin and Kim introduced their delegations and stood collectively because the Russian nationwide anthem performed earlier than the 2 leaders rode standing shoulder to shoulder in an open-top limousine as they smiled and waved to the crowds.
Putin landed in North Korea within the early hours of Wednesday native time for a uncommon go to, heralding Moscow’s deepening alignment with Pyongyang within the face of shared animosity towards the West and worldwide considerations over their rising navy cooperation.
A number of governments have accused Pyongyang of supplying arms to Moscow for its grinding battle in Ukraine, a cost each nations have denied, regardless of vital proof of such transfers.
The 2 autocrats are anticipated to ink a brand new strategic partnership settlement in a stark sign of their increasing relations.
The journey additionally marks a major increase for Kim, who stays remoted on the world stage resulting from his unlawful weapons program and has not hosted one other world chief in his capital for the reason that pandemic.
Kim beamed visibly as he greeted Putin on the airport within the early hours, video footage of the Russian chief’s arrival confirmed.
The pair then rode collectively to the Kumsusan State Visitor Home the place Putin is staying, in response to North Korean state-run information company KCNA.
The 2 leaders “exchanged their pent-up innermost ideas and opened their minds to extra absolutely develop (North Korea-Russia) relations in conformity with the frequent need and can of the peoples of the 2 nations,” KCNA stated.
The burgeoning relationship has sparked concern in each Seoul and Washington, not solely over North Korea’s arms transfers to Russia, but additionally the prospect of Moscow transferring its superior navy expertise to assist Pyongyang’s’s closely sanctioned weapons program.
Tensions stay elevated on the Korean Peninsula, as Kim in current months has ramped up bellicose language and scrapped a longstanding coverage of in search of peaceable reunification with South Korea.
This can be a growing story and will likely be up to date.
