World worries over what Putin and Kim Promises each other

photo: Reuters

On Wednesday, according to South Korean military reports, North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles into the sea. This launch coincided with Kim Jong Un's meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Siberia, during which Kim expressed his commitment to supporting Russia.

During the Kim-Putin summit, the North Korean leader seemed to express solidarity with Russia's actions in Ukraine by stating, "The Russian military and its people will carry forward the illustrious tradition of triumph."

On the other hand, Putin appeared open to the idea of assisting North Korea in advancing their space and satellite technology, potentially in exchange for support in the form of weapons and ammunition from Pyongyang.

Putin and Kim convened on Wednesday at the Vostochny Cosmodrome, a space launch complex situated in the secluded woodlands of eastern Siberia, as per the report from the Russian state-owned news agency RIA Novosti. Prior to their summit in the afternoon, they conducted a short tour of the facility, which is approximately 900 miles northwest of the port city of Vladivostok.

As reported by The New York Times, Putin is actively pursuing artillery shells and anti-tank missiles to support his military operations in Ukraine. In contrast, Kim is seeking advanced technology for satellite development and nuclear submarines, in addition to requesting food assistance to address the food shortages in his economically challenged nation.

Mere hours before the two leaders convened, North Korea conducted the launch of two short-range ballistic missiles. These missiles ultimately impacted the waters off the eastern coast of the Korean Peninsula.

While U.S. officials have issued warnings regarding the possibility of North Korea providing ammunition to support Russia's conflict in Ukraine, certain political analysts are pointing to another looming concern – the potential long-term implications of what Russia might promise its nuclear-armed ally in exchange for such assistance.

The Biden administration has cautioned that if any new arms agreements are forged between Russia and North Korea, further sanctions could be imposed on both nations.