The screen reads: “Kim Jong Un visits Russia soon.” (Ahn Young-joon/Associated Press)MOSCOW — For Russian President Vladimir Putin, a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un offers a chance to raise Moscow’s clout in the region and gain more leverage with Washington. The North Korean leader again visited regions in Russia’s far east the following year, and made another trip across the border in 2011. While Russia’s leverage with North Korea was dwarfed by that of China, Pyongyang’s main sponsor and ally, the North has been wary of its overdependence on Beijing and willing to accept Moscow’s engagement. “China and the U.S. are two superpowers, and North Korea has a reason to stand up to both in different ways,” Trenin said. “Russia is a country whose attractiveness to North Korea lies precisely in it not having major leverage.

Source: Washington Post April 24, 2019 02:03 UTC