Kim Jong-un's Russia visit ends abruptly
Talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un ended on Wednesday after less than an hour, according to Russian state television.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters that there were no plans for President Putin and Kim to sign any documents after their meeting at Russia's Vostochny Cosmodrome, according to state media.
The two leaders met and held closed-door talks for over an hour at the Vostochny Cosmodrome, Russia's rocket launch centre in the Amur region of the Russian Far East.
When asked about reports of possible arms talks between the two leaders, Peskov said that "the entire range of relations (between the two countries) involves dialogue and interaction in sensitive areas, such as military interaction," according to state-run Rossiya-1.
"All other issues concern only our two sovereign countries," he added. "And they should not be a concern for any third state. Our cooperation is carried out for the benefit of the peoples of the two countries, but it is not against anyone," Peskov emphasised.
For his part, North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un expressed his confidence on Wednesday that Russia would be able to defeat an "evil cabal" that supports Ukraine.
The brevity of the visit took analysts by surprise, who had expected a more extensive meeting and for Putin and Kim to discuss a wide range of issues of interest to the countries they lead, as Moscow is seeking as much military support as possible from Pyongyang for its war in Ukraine.
This was the first visit Kim Jong-un has made outside the country since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, which led him to close the borders of North Korea and cut off all ties with the outside world.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
