Putin Gifts Luxury Limo to Kim, Showing Close Ties Amid Accusations of Weapons Trade

Vladimir Putin gave Kim Jong-un a luxury Russian Aurus limousine as a gift when Kim visited Russia last year. Kim had admired the car when Putin showed it to him.

The gift is seen as demonstrating the close personal relationship between the two leaders. Putin intends to continue developing ties with North Korea.

The US has accused North Korea of supplying Russia weapons used in Ukraine, which both countries deny.

The gift may violate UN sanctions prohibiting luxury vehicle exports to North Korea. Kim is known to have a large collection of foreign luxury cars.

North Korean delegations recently returned from and departed for Russia, signaling increasing cooperation between the two countries.