MOSCOW: President Vladimir Putin made a stop-off in Russia’s far east on Tuesday en route to a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang, Russian state media said.

Putin’s trip to the diamond-producing Republic of Sakha, Russia’s largest region by area, was his first visit there since 2014, TASS news agency said.

North Korea’s Kim boasts of ‘invincible’ ties with Russia amid talks of Putin visit

He was due to hold a series of meetings, including with the regional leader, before flying to North Korea later on Tuesday for talks likely to include the signing of a partnership agreement with the reclusive nuclear-armed state.