Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un departed the Great Hall of the People in Beijing together on the morning of 3/9 after attending a military parade in Tiananmen Square commemorating the 80th anniversary of the victory over Japanese fascism.
Putin and Kim walked together on the red carpet, descended the stairs, and invited each other into the waiting black car. The Russian president entered the vehicle first, followed by the North Korean leader on the other side, and then Kim Yo-jong, Kim's sister.
The car carrying the two leaders, with license plate 198.845, was a Russian-made Aurus Senat armored limousine. This armored limousine has been Putin's primary mode of transportation since 2018 when he began his fourth term as Russian president.
The motorcade, along with the car carrying the two leaders, proceeded to the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in the Haidian district, west of Beijing, where the Russian and North Korean delegations held a bilateral meeting. The two leaders then held private talks, during which Putin invited Kim to visit Russia, according to the Kremlin.
In a subsequent press conference, Putin thanked North Korea for sending troops to help repel Ukrainian forces from the Kursk region. Kim responded that cooperation between the two countries had significantly increased since the signing of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership treaty in 6/2024. He affirmed North Korea's willingness to do "everything possible to support" Russia.
Russia and North Korea have built strong ties in recent years. The mutual defense clause is one of the components of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership treaty between the two countries, stipulating that in the event of an armed attack against one nation, the other will immediately provide military support and other forms of assistance by all possible means.
Hong Hanh (According to ABC News, Reuters, AFP)
