Russian President Vladimir Putin will reportedly visit Vietnam and North Korea soon, the state-controlled media outlet Vedomosti reported on June 10, citing Alexander Matsegora, Russia's ambassador to North Korea, and other diplomatic sources.
With Russia's military stocks running low and domestic production capacity simultaneously hampered by Western sanctions, North Korea has been shaping up as Russia's leading weapons supplier, reportedly providing Moscow with extensive military packages, including ballistic missiles and over 3 million artillery shells.
Despite the increasingly strong alliance, Putin has not visited North Korea since 2000, when he met with previous North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il.
Matsegora said that Putin is "actively preparing" for the trip, but did not specify exactly when it would occur.
Another source told Vedomosti that Putin will also visit Vietnam, perhaps as soon as in June, and likely after his trip to North Korea.
Voice of America (VOA) previously reported in May that Putin might visit Vietnam and North Korea as part of his trip to China.
Putin traveled to China later in the month, but did not end up visiting North Korea or Vietnam.
If the trip to Vietnam pans out, it will be Putin's fifth visit to the country as president.
Vietnam and Russia have long had close relations, dating back to the Soviet Union's support for North Vietnam and its proxy forces during the Vietnam War. Vietnam has maintained a neutral stance regarding Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Martin Fornusek
(Updated: )
