Vladislav Grigoriev23:03, 13.04.25

The Russian side says that the North Korean leader has already accepted the invitation.

North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un is set to visit Russia in the coming months, according to the Kremlin . He is likely to be present on Red Square during the parade on May 9, the South China Morning Post reports .

Kim Jong-un’s trip to Moscow will be a unique event

It is noted that if Kim Jong-un takes the podium with Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, it will be a strong signal to the West that these three countries are going to resist US pressure.

Experts told reporters that the North Korean leader’s trip will be a test for China. They believe that Beijing is against Pyongyang getting closer to Moscow.

The publication recalled that, according to Kremlin representatives, Xi Jinping will visit Moscow early next month to participate in events on May 9, including a military parade. Russian media also reported that preparations for Kim Jong-un’s visit to Russia have already begun.

According to the publication, Putin invited the North Korean leader to Moscow during his visit to Pyongyang in June 2024. In March, Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu also met with Kim Jong-un.

The publication emphasized that the North Korean dictator has never visited Moscow before. In 2019 and 2023, he arrived in the Russian Far East on his armored train.

Artem Lukin, an associate professor at the Far Eastern Federal University in Vladivostok, emphasized in a conversation with journalists that such a visit would be a departure from North Korean tradition.

“If Kim comes to the Victory Parade in Moscow, it will be unprecedented. As far as I know, no supreme leader of North Korea has ever participated in international events with the participation of heads of state and government of different countries,” he said.

Putin is gathering as many leaders as possible

Lukin noted that at least a dozen leaders could be present on Red Square on May 9. This could be a resounding diplomatic victory for Putin.

Lee Song-hyun, a senior fellow at the George W. Bush Foundation for US-China relations, said the likelihood that Kim Jong-un and Xi Jinping will attend the parade in Moscow on May 9 is “extremely high.”

“This event will allow Kim to showcase himself among the world leaders of the North Korean public. The only caveat is that Kim prefers bilateral summits, where he is constantly in the spotlight. In addition, Kim has never participated in multilateral summits,” he said.

The publication added that Putin also invited US President Donald Trump to the parade. However, they never reached an agreement.

Lee Seong-hyun believes that inviting Kim Jong-un, Xi Jinping and Trump to the parade on Red Square is a “strategic move” on Putin’s part. According to her, this is how the Russian dictator wants to challenge the US-led world order.

However, Lee Sung-hyun is confident that Trump will not accept the invitation. He emphasized that the American leader may be personally tempted to attend the event, but in the eyes of Washington’s Western democratic allies, it would look like a betrayal.

Signal for the West

Mark Katz, professor emeritus at George Mason University and fellow at the Wilson Center in Washington, told reporters that the presence of Kim Jong-un, Xi Jinping, and Putin at the same military parade would be perceived as “a sign of a united Russian-Chinese-North Korean front.”

“But against what? If Trump joins them, Russia will downplay the anti-American nature of the West and emphasize its anti-Western, anti-European and/or anti-liberal nature,” he stressed.

Baek Woo-yeol, an associate professor and deputy director of the Yonsei Institute for North Korean Studies in Seoul, added that Kim Jong-un’s appearance at the parade would put China in a rather awkward position. He noted that Beijing does not want to be officially associated with the widely discussed China-Russia-North Korea alliance.

Russia and North Korea – important news

Earlier, the commander of the US armed forces in the Pacific, Samuel Paparo, stated that assistance to Russia from China and North Korea threatens the Indo-Pacific region . According to the military, such cooperation is dangerous for US troops in the region.

In addition, The Wall Street Journal wrote that North Korean soldiers have become the most dangerous opponents on the front for Ukrainians. According to experts, the North Koreans have learned the lessons of modern warfare at lightning speed.

(c)UNIAN 2025