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North Korea Leader Visits Aviation Plant in Russian Far East Town

North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un arrives at the Vostochny Cosmodrome to hold a summit with President Vladimir Putin (dpa)
North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un arrives at the Vostochny Cosmodrome to hold a summit with President Vladimir Putin (dpa)
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North Korea Leader Visits Aviation Plant in Russian Far East Town

North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un arrives at the Vostochny Cosmodrome to hold a summit with President Vladimir Putin (dpa)
North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un arrives at the Vostochny Cosmodrome to hold a summit with President Vladimir Putin (dpa)

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Friday morning arrived at a Russian industrial city to visit a military aviation factory, as part of his days-long trip to Russia, Russian agencies reported.

TASS news agency said the North Korean leader arrived by train in the city of Komsomolsk-on-Amur to visit an aviation plant. Interfax for its part indicated that Kim was to visit a company in the aviation sector producing “combat and civilian equipment.”

Kim's visit to Russia is his first official trip abroad since the Covid-19 pandemic broke out.

On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Kim held a summit at the Vostochny cosmodrome, where they visited the site and met for about two hours for talks on enhancing relationships, particularly at the military level.

On Thursday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Kim's far east visit will last a few more days, without giving further details.

Putin said on television that Kim will visit factories where civilian and combat aviation equipment is produced in Komsomolsk-on-Amur.

“There is also a military component in Vladivostok... to demonstrate the capabilities of the Pacific Fleet,” Putin told state media. Kim had visited the Russian city in 2019.

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NATO Appoints Outgoing Dutch PM Rutte as Its Next Secretary-General 

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg (R) and Netherlands' Prime Minister Mark Rutte hold a press conference at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, on April 17, 2024. (AFP)
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg (R) and Netherlands' Prime Minister Mark Rutte hold a press conference at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, on April 17, 2024. (AFP)
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NATO Appoints Outgoing Dutch PM Rutte as Its Next Secretary-General 

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg (R) and Netherlands' Prime Minister Mark Rutte hold a press conference at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, on April 17, 2024. (AFP)
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg (R) and Netherlands' Prime Minister Mark Rutte hold a press conference at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, on April 17, 2024. (AFP)

NATO allies on Wednesday selected outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte as NATO's next boss, as the war in Ukraine rages on its doorstep and uncertainty hangs over the United States' future attitude to the transatlantic alliance. 

Rutte's appointment became a formality after his only rival for the post, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, announced last week that he had quit the race, having failed to gain traction. 

"The North Atlantic Council decided to appoint Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte as the next Secretary-General of NATO, succeeding Jens Stoltenberg," NATO said in a statement. 

"Mr. Rutte will assume his functions as Secretary-General from 1 October 2024, when Mr. Stoltenberg’s term expires after ten years at the helm of the Alliance," it added. 

After declaring his interest in the post last year, Rutte gained early support from key members of the alliance including the United States, Britain, France and Germany. 

Others were more reticent, particularly Eastern European countries which argued the post should go to someone from their region for the first time. 

But they ultimately rowed in behind Rutte, a fierce critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin and a staunch ally of Ukraine. 

Stoltenberg said he warmly welcomed the selection of Rutte as his successor. 

"Mark is a true transatlanticist, a strong leader, and a consensus-builder," he said. "I know I am leaving NATO in good hands." 

NATO takes decisions by consensus so Rutte, who is bowing out of Dutch politics after nearly 14 years as prime minister, could only be confirmed once all 32 alliance members gave him their backing. 

Rutte will face the challenge of sustaining allies' support for Ukraine's fight against Russia's invasion while guarding against NATO's being drawn directly into a war with Moscow. 

He will also have to contend with the possibility that NATO-skeptic Donald Trump may return to the White House after November's US presidential election. 

Trump's possible return has unnerved NATO leaders as the Republican former president called into question US willingness to support other members of the alliance if they were attacked.