Russian president and Kim exchange ‘pent-up inmost thoughts’ on trip expected to deepen trade and security ties
Vladimir Putin receives warm welcome in North KoreaSee all our Ukraine war coverage
In an analysis of what North Korea wants from Putin’s visit, Rachel Minyoung Lee, a senior fellow at 38 North, a Washington-based think tank focusing on North Korea, suggests the country may have longer-term economic goals in sight. She writes:
It is almost certainly not a coincidence that since June 2023, just as North Korea was aligning itself more closely with Russia, there has been a significant uptick in state media coverage of moves by BRICs and Russia to explore alternative economic arrangements that do not require the US dollar.
Historically, one of the main reasons North Korea has pursued improved relations with Washington was to broker sanctions relief and regain access to the international financial system.