In Pictures
Russia’s Vladimir Putin visits North Korea for first time since 2000
![Putin and Kim. They are behind the flags of their countries and smiling](/https/www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/AP24170716535916-1718765529.jpg?resize=1170%2C780&quality=80)
Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un have begun official talks in Pyongyang.
Putin arrived in the city before dawn on Wednesday in his first visit to the country in 24 years. Kim was at the airport to greet him and the two leaders travelled together to the Kumsusan State Guest House in a grand motorcade.
The visit is at Kim’s invitation and follows the two men’s talks last September at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in eastern Russia.
Russia and North Korea have deepened their relationship since Moscow began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
The United States and South Korea say Pyongyang has been providing weapons to Russia to use in Ukraine, in exchange for technological expertise to boost weapons development as Kim modernises his country’s military.
![Kim Jong Un silhouetted against the night sky](/https/www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/2024-06-18T202207Z_1810329154_RC2WD8ALD3R1_RTRMADP_3_NORTHKOREA-RUSSIA-1718765768.jpg?fit=1170%2C684&quality=80)
![North Korean ceremonial guards marching at the airport](/https/www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/2024-06-18T204611Z_844669667_RC2WD8AUY3ZA_RTRMADP_3_NORTHKOREA-RUSSIA-1718765775.jpg?fit=1170%2C796&quality=80)
![Putin and Kim Jong Un embrace at the airport. Putin is smiling. Kim has his back to the camera](/https/www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/AP24170729163055-1718765522.jpg?fit=1170%2C780&quality=80)
![Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un walking down the red carpet at the airport. Putin's plane is behind him. Ceremonial guards are standing to attention on either side](/https/www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/2024-06-18T214456Z_1737603149_RC2XD8AB9TVM_RTRMADP_3_NORTHKOREA-RUSSIA-1718765697.jpg?fit=1170%2C776&quality=80)
![A woman in a traditional Koran hanbok gives Vladimir Putin a bouquet of red roses](/https/www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/AP24170742614473-1718755448.jpg?fit=1170%2C780&quality=80)
![Motorcyclists from the official motorcade. They are in a line.](/https/www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/AFP__20240618__34XB2XV__v1__HighRes__RussianPresidentVladimirPutinVisits-1718765493.jpg?fit=1170%2C807&quality=80)
![Kim Jong Un greeting Vladimir Putin at the airport. They're on a red carpet. There is an honour guard behind them. Kim is talking.](/https/www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/2024-06-18T220533Z_1268243798_RC2XD8AZC5YM_RTRMADP_3_NORTHKOREA-RUSSIA-1718755465.jpg?fit=1170%2C776&quality=80)
![Putin and Kim's motorcade led by outriders in formation. It's night time so the vehicles have their lights on](/https/www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/AFP__20240619__34XG2D3__v1__HighRes__NkoreaRussiaDiplomacy-1718765500.jpg?fit=1170%2C780&quality=80)
![The motorcade travelling along a Pyongyang road. There are high rises behind with the lights on. Portraits of Putin have been put up along the side of the street.](/https/www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/AFP__20240619__34XG38E__v2__HighRes__TopshotNkoreaRussiaDiplomacy-1718766420.jpg?fit=1170%2C780&quality=80)
![Putin and Kim smiling and chatting as they walk along a corridor in the Kumsusan State Guest House in Pyongyang. Officials are walking behind them.](/https/www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/AFP__20240618__34XG6MT__v1__HighRes__NkoreaRussiaDiplomacy-1718766426.jpg?fit=1170%2C780&quality=80)