Moscow, June 17, 2024 — Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to embark on a two-day state visit to North Korea on Tuesday, marking his first visit to the country since 2000. This visit is anticipated to culminate in the signing of several agreements between the two nations, according to a report by US news media.

This visit comes 24 years after Putin's last trip to North Korea and follows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's visit to Russia by train in September last year, during which he extended an invitation to Putin. Accepting this invitation, Putin is scheduled to arrive in Pyongyang tomorrow.

Notably, this trip marks Putin's first foreign visit since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The visit to North Korea, a nation also under heavy Western sanctions, is expected to heighten tensions among Western countries.

Yuri Ushakov, an aide to Putin, revealed during a press conference on Monday that the visit will include a specific agenda. "Putin's visit to North Korea will have some agenda. Both leaders will sign some new agreements to implement them. Hopefully, the plans will be implemented properly," Ushakov stated.

Following his North Korea visit, Putin is scheduled to travel to Vietnam on Wednesday. Analysts view this visit to the communist-ruled country as a strategic move by Russia aimed at countering the influence of the United States.

The upcoming visits underline Russia's efforts to strengthen alliances amid increasing isolation from Western countries due to its ongoing conflict in Ukraine and other geopolitical tensions.