All news

Putin says he had frank exchange of opinion with North Korea’s Kim

The Russian leader emphasized that Moscow and Pyongyang now had "quite a few projects of interest," including transportation and logistics
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin Vladimir Smirnov/TASS
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin
© Vladimir Smirnov/TASS

VOSTOCHNY SPACEPORT /Amur Region/, September 13. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has called talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un productive and frank.

"The beginning is good and very productive. There was a very frank exchange of views on the situation in the region and on bilateral relations," Putin said in an interview with the 60 Minutes program.

He noted at the same time that Moscow and Beijing "suffered great losses from the COVID-19 pandemic, when the DPRK was virtually closed to the outside world."

Putin emphasized that Russia and the DPRK now had "quite a few projects of interest."

"For instance, such things come to mind as transportation and logistics - meaning both railways and automobile roads, the reopening of the seaport, where a very good logistics triangle can be created: a railroad, a seaport, and a highway to China. Here it is possible to increase transportation volumes many times over, which is very important in general," Putin explained.

He added that he spoke with Kim Jong Un about the development of agriculture. In this regard Russia "has a great deal to offer."

"We provide humanitarian assistance to that country, but in addition to humanitarian aid, there is an opportunity to simply work together on an equal footing, and the prospects here are not bad at all," Putin said.