North Korean leader Kim Jong Un arrived in eastern Russia Wednesday aboard his heavily-armored train to kick-off his summit with President Vladimir Putin; a meeting that could have major consequences on the Trump administration’s push to denuclearize his regime.
“Both leaders have high hopes for their first one-on-one meeting: Kim for a win after his failed second summit with U.S. President Donald Trump and Putin for a chance to raise Moscow’s clout in the region and gain more leverage with Washington,” reports the Associated Press.
“I have heard a lot about your country and have long dreamt of visiting it,” Kim reportedly told Russian officials after crossing the border. “It’s been seven years since I took the helm, and I’ve only just managed to visit.”
“Kim wants to show that he’s cooperating with Russia too, rather than looking to only the U.S. and China. But I think it’s not easy for Russia and China to provide North Korea with practical assistance that leads to the inflow of dollars,” said a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification.
Read the full report at the Associated Press.
KIM ABROAD: North Korean Dictator VISITS CHINA Ahead of Trump Meeting
North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un was back in China Tuesday morning for the second time in two months, meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping ahead of his historic talks with President Donald Trump.
According to the New York Times, the brutal despot huddled with Chinese authorities in the port city of Dalian just across the North Korean border; reportedly holding high-level talks just weeks before Kim is set to meet with the American president.
“In a cordial and friendly atmosphere, the top leaders of the two parties and the two countries had an all-round and in-depth exchange of views,” said the state-run news agency.
The last-minute meeting will be followed by Chinese officials’ international visit to Japan and South Korea to discuss the complete “denuclearization” of the Korean peninsula and a possible end to the 68-year-long Korean War.
The Chinese leader praised Kim’s visit, saying he was committed to progress “at a crucial time when the Korean Peninsula situation is undergoing profound and complex changes.”
BACK IN BEIJING: Kim Jong Un in CHINA to Brief Officials on Singapore Summit
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was back in Beijing this week, speaking with Chinese officials over his historic summit with President Trump and the possible denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.
Kim traveled to Beijing Tuesday to meet with President Xi Jinping in their first face-to-face meeting since the Singapore Summit; making the trip his third visit to China this year.
“Trump agreed to work with Kim toward complete denuclearization of the Korean peninsula, committed to provide the North with security guarantees and pledged to end ‘war games’ with South Korea, which North Korea and China have long seen as provocative,” writes the New York Post.
“We hope this visit can help to further deepen China-North Korea relations, strengthen strategic communication between both countries on important issues and promote regional peace and stability,” said a spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry.
Read the full report here.
Thank you for visiting