A Rare Gathering: Kim, Putin, & Xi to Share Stage in China’s WWII Anniversary Parade
MILITARY PARADE – North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is traveling to Beijing to stand alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin at a major military parade marking the end of World War II.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is on his way to Beijing to attend a large-scale military parade alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to North Korean state media. The event, commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and China’s resistance against Japan, is scheduled for Wednesday.
Kim’s attendance marks his first time joining a major multilateral gathering since he took power in 2011. It will also be the first occasion where Kim, Xi, and Putin—three of Washington’s strongest geopolitical challengers—appear together in a public setting. While the leaders are not confirmed to hold a trilateral summit, their presence highlights the potential emergence of closer strategic alignment among the three nations.
North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency reported that Kim departed Pyongyang on Monday by special train, accompanied by senior officials, including Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui. His train was seen crossing into China through the border city of Dandong on Monday night, with arrival in Beijing expected on Tuesday. This visit will be Kim’s first to China since 2019 and his fifth overall.
Putin arrived earlier in China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, and Kremlin officials have indicated that a meeting with Kim is being considered. Analysts are also watching for the possibility of bilateral talks between Kim and Xi or even a historic trilateral session with both Xi and Putin.
North Korea’s recent diplomacy has leaned heavily toward Russia, particularly as Pyongyang has provided ammunition and military supplies to aid Moscow’s war effort in Ukraine. In return, North Korea has sought both economic support and military assistance. Despite occasional cooling in their ties, Kim is seen as eager to reinforce his country’s relationships with Russia and China, especially as sanctions continue to weigh on Pyongyang.
Kim’s Beijing trip comes amid renewed calls from Washington and Seoul to restart dialogue with Pyongyang. However, North Korea has avoided negotiations since talks with former U.S. President Donald Trump broke down in 2019 over disagreements on sanctions and denuclearization steps.
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