North Korean leader Kim Jong Un arrived in Russia on Tuesday on a rare visit abroad during which he will meet President Vladimir Putin, amid warnings from Washington about a possible arms deal to support Moscow's war in Ukraine.

The two leaders are expected to discuss in particular "sensitive topics" in the coming days, according to what RIA Novosti reported, quoting Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

Kim left Pyongyang on Sunday evening on an armored train, making his first trip abroad since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. On his last trip abroad, he met Putin in Vladivostok in 2019.

Kim will meet Putin in an undisclosed location in the Far East of Russia this week, RIA Novosti quoted Peskov as saying. But the Russian authorities did not specify the place and time.

However, Russian media showed footage showing Kim being received at the Khasan train station near the border, with the participation of an official delegation and a guard of honor.

According to the governor of the Primorsky region, Oleg Koymyakko, the North Korean leader met during this stop with the Russian Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, Alexander Kozlov.

"A visit of this level is a good message about developing... direct communication with our colleagues in North Korea," he wrote via Telegram.

Putin, who is currently in Vladivostok to attend the annual economic forum that ends Wednesday, was not asked about the North Korean leader's visit, despite the lengthy question-and-answer session.

The Russian President merely said that he would soon visit the Vostochny space base, which is a thousand kilometers away from Vladivostok, but he refused to say what he intended to do there.
"I have a proper program there, and when I get there you'll know it," he said.

Peskov confirmed to Russian media that Putin and Kim's meeting will discuss "sensitive" issues without heeding "American warnings."

Washington fears that Moscow will obtain weapons for its military operations in Ukraine from North Korea, which is itself subject to sanctions because of its nuclear and missile programs.

"In building our relations with our neighbors, including North Korea, what matters to us are the interests of our two countries, not Washington's warnings," Peskov said.