Russian President Putin to visit North Korea, Vietnam

Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin will begin a two-day visit to Pyongyang starting Tuesday, his first trip to North Korea in 24 years.

"At the invitation of Chairman of State Affairs of the DPRK Kim Jong-un, Vladimir Putin will pay a friendly state visit to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea on June 18-19," the Kremlin's press service reported on Monday.

The President's office added that Putin will then travel to Hanoi on a two-day visit to Vietnam starting June 19.

It was widely anticipated that Putin, who last visited Pyongyang back in July 2000 shortly after becoming the Russian President for the first time, will pay a reciprocal visit to North Korea following Kim Jong-un's official visit to the Russian Far East in September 2023.

The visit to Hanoi takes place at the invitation of the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Nguyen Phu Trong.

The Kremlin detailed that meetings will be held in Hanoi with Trong, President To Lam, Prime Minister of the Government Pham Minh Tinh and Chairman of the National Assembly Tran Thanh Man.

"It is planned to discuss the state and prospects for the further development of a comprehensive strategic partnership between Russia and Vietnam in the trade, economic, scientific, technological and humanitarian fields, as well as to exchange views on current issues on the international and regional agenda. As a result of the negotiations, a joint statement will be adopted and a number of bilateral documents will be signed," the Kremlin stated.