The West is watching with close eyes as North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un has arrived in Russia for his meeting with President Vladimir Putin.

The two are expected to discuss what has been termed “sensitive” subjects.

North Korea’s official news agency KCNA has reported that Kim is accompanied by officials from the military, government, and his ruling Workers’ Party of Korea.

The US has claimed that Kim and Putin are likely to discuss providing Moscow with weapons for the Ukraine conflict. Washington has warned Pyongyang against such a move. The Kremlin however has downplayed the US warnings saying Russia is building relations with their neighbors, including North Korea.

Since last year Moscow and Pyongyang have enhanced their ties. Kim has described the war in Ukraine as a US proxy war to destroy Russia. He has condemned the Wests military aid to Kiev and blamed the hegemonic policy and high-handedness of the US and the West for the conflict.