Beijing hosted the 80th Victory Day parade, a significant event featuring the unprecedented presence of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Xi Jinping used the parade to showcase China’s military might and present himself as a global leader.
A bilateral meeting between Putin and Kim followed, drawing global attention. The leaders spent over an hour discussing ways to bolster their existing relationship.
During the meeting in Beijing, Putin extended an invitation to Kim Jong-un to visit Russia. Kim responded to Putin’s invitation with an expression of a future meeting, to which Putin replied that he was looking forward to welcoming Kim to Russia. According to the Russian government media TASS, the meeting was not purely ceremonial. The leaders engaged in private, confidential discussions that lasted approximately one hour.