RUSSIAN President Vladimir Putin said today that he and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un would beat Western sanctions the two countries face through close co-operation.

Mr Putin’s comments, made in a letter, were reported by North Korean state media as he prepared to visit Pyongyang for a meeting with Mr Kim to discuss a deeper trade alliance.

The Russian leader, who is visiting the country for the first time in 24 years, praised North Korea’s support for Russia in its war against Ukraine.