Pyongyang welcomes Putin with fanfare as Russian leader makes first visit in 24 years

CNN —

Thousands of North Koreans chanting “welcome Putin” lined Pyongyang’s wide boulevards waving Russian and North Korean flags and bouquets of flowers Wednesday as Russian President Vladimir Putin kicked off his first visit to North Korea in 24 years.

Putin was met with exuberant fanfare for a welcome ceremony with his counterpart Kim Jong Un at Kim Il Sung Square in the heart of the North Korean capital, where mounted soldiers, military personnel and children holding balloons cheered against the backdrop of large portraits of the two leaders.

Putin and Kim presented their delegations and stood together as the Russian national anthem played before the two autocrats rode standing shoulder to shoulder in an open-top limousine as they smiled and waved to the crowds.

Putin landed in North Korea in the early hours of Wednesday local time for a rare visit, heralding Moscow’s deepening alignment with Pyongyang in the face of shared animosity toward the West and international concerns over their growing military cooperation.

Multiple governments have accused Pyongyang of supplying arms to Moscow for its grinding war in Ukraine, a charge both countries have denied, despite significant evidence of such transfers.

In remarks ahead of talks between the two, Kim voiced his “full support and solidarity with the struggles of the Russian government, military and the people,” pointing specifically to Moscow’s war in Ukraine “to protect its own sovereignty, safety and territorial stability.”

“Situations continue to be complicated and ever-changing, but I would like to take this opportunity to reiterate that we will continue to strengthen and closely engage in strategic communication with the (Russian) leadership,” Kim added.

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