Russian President Vladimir Putin was greeted with a red carpet, military ceremony and a hug by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during his state visit to Pyongyang.
Kim hailed a "new era" in relations as he began talks with Putin, who in turn thanked his host for supporting Russia's war in Ukraine.
"We greatly appreciate your systematic and constant support for Russian policy, including on the Ukrainian issue," Putin was quoted as saying by Russian state media.
After a welcoming ceremony at Kim Il Sung Square, which included a military band and mass synchronized dancing, Putin invited his host to visit Russia.
Earlier, Kim met Putin at the airport, with the pair embracing on the red carpet, underscoring a deepening relationship that has raised concerns in Seoul and Washington.
The United States and its allies have accused North Korea of providing ammunition and missiles to Russia for its war against Ukraine. There are legitimate concerns that Putin's visit will lead to further military supplies.
At the start of the talks, Putin said he was ready to sign a "new foundational document" that would set the framework for long-term relations, while Kim spoke favourably of the allies' ties.
"The relations between our countries are entering a new era of prosperity that cannot be compared even to the period of Korean-Soviet relations in the last century," Kim said.
It is their second meeting in a year after Kim took his armoured train to Russia's Far East in September last year for talks with Putin at a spaceport.
Experts have warned that the trip is likely to focus on defence ties, although the leaders are expected to publicly emphasize cooperation in the economic sector, as any arms deals would violate UN Security Council resolutions banning the country's nuclear and ballistic missile programmes. Pyongyang.
"Russia needs North Korea's arms support because of the protracted war in Ukraine, while North Korea needs Russia's support in terms of food, energy and advanced weapons to ease the pressure of sanctions," Koh Yoo-hwan told AFP Professor Emeritus of North Korean Studies at Dongguk University.
"However, the aspect of the military alliance should be considered separately from what is announced publicly and what is discussed in the meetings between the two leaders," he said, adding that Moscow was cautious about "completely burning down the bridges with countries like South Korea".
"The Arsenal of Autocracy"
Pyongyang described the claims of supplying weapons to Russia as "absurd".
However, in March he thanked Russia for using its Security Council veto to effectively end monitoring of sanctions violations, just as UN experts had begun looking into alleged arms shipments.
The United States expressed "concerns" about Putin's trip over the security implications for South Korea as well as Ukraine.
The two Koreas remained technically at war since their 1950-53 conflict, and the border that separates them is one of the most heavily fortified in the world.
Underscoring these security concerns, South Korea said its troops fired warning shots at soldiers from the North who briefly crossed the border on June 18 and then withdrew.
"Russia's ambition is to secure a 'strategic space' in Northeast Asia to counter US influence in the region," said senior research fellow Kim Sung-bae of the Institute for National Security Strategy in Seoul.
"This intention is also confirmed by Putin's visit to Vietnam," he explained.
The Russian president will fly to Hanoi after he visits North Korea. |BGNES
