North Korea Awaits Russian Leader for First Time in 24 Years to Discuss 'Security and Economic Cooperation'

The Russian leader's visit to the world's most closed state comes as Putin seeks ammunition to continue his war in Ukraine, launched in February 2022, which has thrown Moscow into unprecedented global isolation, NDTV reports.

Putin promises to cooperate with North Korea against the US, improve sanctions evasion, NK News adds.

Before the historic trip, Putin publicly praised North Korea for supporting Russia's war in Ukraine. So now he hopes to get further military support from Pyongyang.

The trip comes nine months after Putin hosted North Korea's Kim Jong-un on a rare foreign trip to the Russian Far East, where the pair praised each other lavishly.

Moscow said that Putin would then travel to Vietnam.

Western countries, South Korea and Ukraine have accused Pyongyang of sending weapons to Russia for use in the war of aggression in Ukraine. 

Washington and Seoul argue that Russia instead provided Pyongyang with technical assistance for its satellite programme and sent aid to the food-stressed country.

Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, Putin has significantly reduced his travels abroad, but has made several visits to several of Moscow's key allies, such as China.

Pyongyang rarely receives foreign visitors, is diplomatically isolated, and has become even more closed off since the Covid pandemic.

Russia and North Korea, which share a small land border, have historical ties as the Soviet Union helped found the tiny state after the Korean War in the 1950s. After the collapse of the USSR, Russia was one of the few countries to maintain working relations with Pyongyang.