Putin and Kim Jong Un exchange gifts including limousines, tea sets and ‘busts’ in North Korea

Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un exchanged gifts including Russian-made luxury cars, tea sets and works of art.

North Korea held a grand ceremony to welcome Mr Putin to the country, his first visit to the country in nearly a quarter of a century.

He was greeted by smiles and hugs from leader Kim Jong Un, while buildings around Pyongyang were decorated with stallions, balloons and giant posters of the two leaders, ahead of a tea party and evening concert.

Putin spoke one-on-one with Kim for about two hours and gave the North Korean leader a luxury Aurus limousine, Russian state media reported, citing Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov.

In the photo, the two heads of state are driving an Aurus, driven by Putin, but it is unclear whether this is the new giveaway car.

Back in February, Mr Putin presents Kim Jong Un with another Russian-made Auruses – the kind of sedan used by the Russian leader himself. It was shipped to North Korea in violation of U.N. sanctions.

Mr Kim is believed to be a car enthusiast and owns a collection of luxury foreign cars. It’s unclear which Aurus model he got this time.

He was seen driving a Maybach limousine, several Mercedes, a Rolls-Royce Phantom and a Lexus SUV.

The Russian leader is also said to have given Kim a tea set and an Admiral’s Dagger – a dagger.

According to Russia’s TASS news agency, Mr. Ushakov said the tea set was “very beautiful.”

Meanwhile, aid agencies said Mr Putin had also received “very good gifts”.

He said they included artwork that he suggested was “relevant to the image of the president,” including a bust.

Ushakov said they were all “quite skilled,” Tass news agency reported.

The show of solidarity comes as both countries face international isolation.

Relations between the two countries have strengthened in recent years, especially since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Despite international sanctions against both countries, North Korea is believed to be supplying Russia with artillery, rockets and ballistic missiles needed for the war.

Both sides deny violating sanctions.

During the meeting, Putin thanked Kim Jong Un for his “consistent and firm support for Russia’s policies, including in the direction of Ukraine.”

Kim Jong-un said relations between the two countries were “entering a new period of prosperity” and called Russia North Korea’s “most honest friend.”

They signed an agreement to help each other in the event of an “invasion”.

The two men last met in September, when Kim visited the Vostok Cosmodrome in Russia’s far east. This is his first trip abroad in four years.

During that visit, he checked out Putin’s own Aurus Senat limousine and was invited to sit in the back seat. They also exchanged guns as gifts.

Putin invited Kim Jong-un to Moscow for the next meeting.