Putin Plays Diplomatic Catch Up in the Far East The Kremlin's pursuit of strategic partnerships in Asia has long been driven by economic pragmatism, but Vladimir Putin's recent meeting with North Korea's Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui suggests a more nuanced calculus at play.
Behind the diplomatic fanfare, this encounter may mark a bid to bolster Russia's standing as a regional mediator and revive its influence in Pyongyang.
Putin's Russia has traditionally been wary of entanglements on the Korean Peninsula, where its own interests have often been secondary to those of other major players.