Kim Jong-un's visit to Russia under preparation, top diplomat says

The visit of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to Russia is currently being prepared, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko announced during a conference held by the Russian International Affairs Council.

“We always have preparations underway,” Rudenko replied when asked about the visit, as quoted by Russian media, per Caliber.Az.

He further elaborated, saying, “Just two weeks ago, during my visit to North Korea, we discussed this issue.”

The Deputy Foreign Minister also addressed the upcoming visit of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), noting, “We have, in addition to this, the issue of Lavrov's visit to the DPRK to continue the strategic dialogue with our Korean friends. The dialogue was started during Foreign Minister Choi Seong-hee's visit to Moscow last November, and we should continue this tradition. This year it is Lavrov's turn. Therefore, the plans are big, and we will realize them.”

On March 24, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that the Kremlin is not yet ready to officially announce Kim Jong-un's visit to Russia, including any potential attendance at the Victory Parade in Moscow on May 9. He confirmed, however, that the North Korean leader has received an invitation to visit Russia, with the specifics of the trip to be finalized through diplomatic channels.

Earlier, Rudenko met with DPRK Foreign Minister Choi Son-hui in Pyongyang, where the two sides discussed cooperation under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty. The meeting was described as being held in a friendly atmosphere.

On March 27, Russian Ambassador to the DPRK, Alexander Matsegor, reported that Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu had informed the North Korean leadership in detail about the content of recent Russian-American talks in Riyadh. Matsegor noted that Pyongyang reacted positively to the resumption of contacts between Russia and the United States.

In related news, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency, citing intelligence sources, speculated that Kim Jong-un may visit Russia in the first half of this year.

By Tamilla Hasanova