Moscow, Russia
A North Korean delegation is expected to visit Moscow on February 13, with plans for a reciprocal visit by Russian lawmakers to Pyongyang in March, as revealed by Russian Communist Party deputy Kazbek Taysaev. This announcement, reported by Russia's Sputnik news agency, comes amidst growing military cooperation between North Korea and Russia.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the North Korean delegation will meet members of the lower house of the Russian parliament. The visits are part of efforts to strengthen ties following North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in September. The United States has accused North Korea of supplying arms to Russia for its conflict in Ukraine in exchange for technical assistance with Pyongyang's weapons programs. Last month, North Korea's top diplomat Choe Son-hui met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to discuss expanding bilateral relations. Putin has also expressed interest in visiting Pyongyang, though the Kremlin suggests such a visit is unlikely before the March presidential election.