This is John Bachelor, conversation with colleague David Maxwell about North Korea, Kim Jong-un,

his relationship with Moscow, his relationship with Beijing.

David speaks immediately to the Kim Jong-un-Ledmer Putin connection, what it gets Russia,

what it means to North Korea, but then again he checks in on China, always important, given they are neighbors in unequal neighbors. And he also

mentions the space program. There's David Maxwell on North Korea and its malign activities in Eurasia. More of this tonight, much more.

Thank you.

Well, I think he's preparing for a visit from Putin so I think we're seeing a

strengthened relationship between Kim and Putin you know relations are are good with China but he is really strengthening

relations with Putin and I think that you know there's probably going to be an increase in support from North Korea to Russia.

We're seeing reports that maybe that hundreds of Russian artillery tubes have been destroyed by the Ukrainians and so I can imagine

that not only artillery ammunition going to Russia but perhaps even North Korean artillery which

will be very interesting to observe how well they perform in combat.

So I think that there's been a lot of

give and take between Russia and North Korea and of course we want to know how much support

Russia has given to North Korea's satellite space launch program and one other aid North Korea is receiving from Russia.