Putin wants to visit North Korea: Lavrov arrives to "build bridges"

Sergey Lavrov, the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs, arrived in Pyongyang on 18 October for a two-day visit.

Source: ТАSS; South Korean news agency Yonhap, citing several Russian media outlets

Details: At the start of this week, Lavrov escorted President Vladimir Putin during his visit to Beijing and had meetings with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi.

On Wednesday 18 October, as Putin was conducting talks in China, Lavrov arrived in North Korea.

He is expected to hold a meeting with his North Korean counterpart, Choe Son-hui, and the two sides will discuss the issue of bilateral military and economic cooperation as well as a possible visit to Pyongyang by Putin.

The visit follows a summit held in Russia on 13 September between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Putin.

Background: Vladimir Putin is in China on 17-18 October. On Wednesday he made a speech at the third International Belt and Road Forum and held talks with Chinese leader Xi Jingping.

After his meeting with Xi Jingping in Beijing, Putin was filmed being escorted by officers carrying the "nuclear briefcase".

It is assumed in the West that China and North Korea may provide military aid for Russia while it wages war against Ukraine under the slogan of fighting against NATO. 

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