Putin to visit North Korea, Vietnam in coming weeks

Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit North Korea and Vietnam in the coming weeks, the Vedomosti newspaper reported on Monday, citing a diplomatic source.

Russian ambassador to North Korea Aleksandr Matsegora confirmed to Vedomosti that the president's visit to Pyongyang will happen and is being "actively prepared."

The newspaper said Putin could visit Vietnam as early as June and most likely immediately after his visit to North Korea.

The Kremlin has said Russia wants to build a partnership with North Korea "in all areas" but has yet to confirm the date of the visit.

Vedomosti said Putin and Kim Jong Un, North Korea's president, may discuss whether Russia will bring in migrant workers from North Korea.

 

Russia is suffering acute labor shortages because of the Ukraine war; many hundreds of thousands of men have either gone to fight or fled abroad to avoid being mobilized.

Vedomosti quoted Russia's trade representative in Vietnam as saying last month that the most pressing trade issue between the two countries was banking support for settling payments.

Reuters