Russian presidential security official Shoigu arrives in North Korea, reports TASS
SEOUL, June 17 (Reuters) - Russia's top presidential security adviser Sergei Shoigu was expected to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un after arriving in Pyongyang "on special instructions" from President Vladimir Putin, Russia's Tass news agency reported on Tuesday.
Shoigu will hold talks with the North Korean "leadership on implementing agreements" reached during his visit earlier in June under the comprehensive strategic partnership treaty signed by the two leaders last year, Tass reported.
It did not elaborate on the details of Shoigu's expected talks or what Putin's instructions were.
The visit by Shoigu is the third in nearly three months as the two countries rapidly advanced diplomatic and security ties in the past two years, including North Korea's military support for Russia in the war against Ukraine.
A Reuters investigation has found that North Korea has supplied millions of artillery rounds and thousands of troops to Russia for fighting in Ukraine.
Kim has expressed "unconditional support" for Russia's policies amid concerns by South Korean and Western officials that North Korea may be receiving Moscow's help with advanced military technology as well as economic assistance.
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Among the topics discussed within the working group was how the U.S. could incentivize or pressure former Soviet states, as well as other Eastern European and Asian nations, to limit the flow of goods and energy into and out of Russia, said the officials. It is unclear if Trump was aware of the working group's formation or subsequent dissolution. The NSC removals left few high-ranking people on the Russia file, complicating the prospects for any robust inter-agency debate on the topic. While reluctant to discuss the details of the options drawn up by the group due to the sensitive nature of the work, U.S. officials said the group was still brainstorming ideas when it was dissolved. The group's work was unrelated to the Russia sanctions package in the U.S. Senate. Ideas ranged from tailored economic deals designed to peel some countries out of Russia's geopolitical orbit to covert special operations efforts, the officials said. One official mentioned the possibility of creating an incentive structure to push Kazakhstan to more vigorously crack down on sanctions evasion. The country, like other post-Soviet states, has been used by traders to bypass some Western-imposed import restrictions on Russia since Moscow's expanded invasion began in 2022. The Kazakhstani embassy in Washington did not respond to a request for comment.
