Beijing: A possible bilateral meeting between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin is under discussion, the Kremlin said Friday, as the two leaders are both set to attend a high-profile military parade in China next week. The parade is scheduled to take place at Tiananmen Square in Beijing and will commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in 1945. Leaders from 26 foreign countries are expected to attend the event.
According to Yonhap News Agency, while a meeting between Kim and Putin has not yet been confirmed, discussions are ongoing, as stated by Kremlin's foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov to reporters. Ushakov also mentioned that during the parade, Putin would be seated on the right side of Chinese President Xi Jinping, while Kim will be seated on Xi's left.
The event next week underscores the increasing cooperation between North Korea and Russia, which has included North Korea's deployment of troops in support of Russia in its conflict with Ukraine. This potential meeting is noteworthy as Kim Jong-un has not participated in a multilateral gathering since he assumed power in 2011.