Russia's Shoigu meets North Korea's Kim in Pyongyang

13/9/2024 18:11

        Top Russian security official Sergei Shoigu held talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during a visit to Pyongyang on Friday, Russian news agencies said.
        
        The visit took place at a critical juncture in the war in Ukraine, for which the United States says North Korea has supplied ammunition and ballistic missiles to Russia.
        
        The U.S. and its allies are weighing a decision on whether to let Ukraine use Western-supplied long-range missiles to strike deep inside Russia. President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that if that happened, the West would be fighting directly with Russia.
        
        Moscow and Pyongyang have denied arms transfers but have vowed to boost military ties. Russia has deepened its relations with North Korea since the start of the Ukraine war, and Kim received Putin on a state visit in June.
        
        Shoigu was Russian defence minister until May, and is now secretary of the Security Council which brings together Putin, his military and intelligence chiefs and other senior figures.