Kim Jong-un joins Putin at China’s Victory Day parade

(MENAFN) North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is set to visit China next week to participate in the 80th anniversary celebrations of the end of World War II, where he will join Russian President Vladimir Putin and other global figures, Beijing confirmed on Thursday.

Kim’s foreign trips are rare, with only 10 since he took power in 2011—five of them to China, his country’s closest ally. His presence marks a notable elevation in North Korea’s representation compared to the last anniversary, when only a senior official attended.

China is organizing a major military parade in Tiananmen Square on September 3 to commemorate its victory over Imperial Japan and the broader defeat of Axis forces. Putin is also expected to attend, reciprocating Xi Jinping’s visit to Moscow earlier this year.

Around 26 world leaders are expected at the event, which will be the central feature of the commemorations. North Korea, though historically reliant on China, has strengthened its ties with Russia recently, signing a wide-ranging security and cooperation agreement in 2024.

In May, Kim visited the Russian embassy in Pyongyang to mark the defeat of Nazi Germany, and his ambassador represented the country at Russia’s own Victory Day parade.

Few Western leaders are expected to attend the Chinese celebration. Notably, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico will be the only EU leader present, joined by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. Both also visited Moscow earlier this year, drawing criticism from Western governments.

The event comes amid growing divides between the U.S. and its European allies over the Ukraine conflict. President Donald Trump has pushed for peace negotiations, while many EU leaders continue to back military support for Kiev. Slovakia has opposed this approach, especially after Ukrainian attacks disrupted a key oil pipeline serving both Slovakia and Hungary.

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