North Korea's Kim Jong Un May Visit Russia Amid Deepening Ties and Separate Standoffs with the U.S

As per U.S. officials, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un might be planning a trip to Russia for a summit with President Vladimir Putin, signifying increasing collaboration amidst individual confrontations with the United States.

This proposed meeting would mark Kim's first international summit since North Korea closed its borders in January 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It would also reflect a deepening relationship, as Russia seeks to purchase ammunition from North Korea to replenish supplies depleted by its conflict in Ukraine. Experts suggest that in return, North Korea would likely seek food, energy, and sophisticated weapons technologies from Russia.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu had previously visited Pyongyang and proposed that Russia and North Korea consider conducting joint military exercises, an unprecedented move that would alarm rivals like the U.S. and South Korea. These developments come as Russia aims to counter Ukrainian forces and as North Korea continues an increased pace of missile tests in protest against U.S. military collaborations with South Korea and Japan.

Despite the potential for cooperation, there are challenges and constraints. Acquiring munitions from North Korea would be a violation of U.N. resolutions, which Russia had previously supported. Furthermore, North Korea's logistics capabilities may be limited, making it difficult to swiftly send large quantities of supplies to Russia.

Experts suggest that the collaboration would serve both countries' interests. Kim Jong Un would likely use any agreements to signal that North Korea is overcoming its long-standing international isolation. He is also expected to seek Russian technology to advance North Korea's military capabilities, including long-range missiles, hypersonic ballistic weapons, nuclear-powered submarines, and spy satellites.

However, it's unclear whether Russia would be willing to share its most sensitive military technologies with North Korea, given that even key partners like China have not been granted access to these.

The prospective partnership, especially joint military exercises, could be a calculated response to expanded security cooperation among South Korea, the United States, and Japan. Nevertheless, some experts argue that North Korea might hesitate to deepen dependencies on China and Russia, sticking instead to its philosophy of "juche," or self-reliance.

Either way, both North Korea and Russia appear poised to showcase their partnership, both for practical benefits and to send a political message to the United States. The summit, if it takes place, will be watched closely for its geopolitical implications.