In his first trip outside of North Korea# since the pandemic, Kim Jong-un met Vladimir## Putin in Russia today to discuss whether# they each had something the other wants.

Stephanie Sy reports on what that could be and the## ramifications of -- a deal would have# for Ukraine and the rest of the worl STEPHANIE SY: The Kim dynasty's preferred form of# transit, an old-fashioned armored luxury train rolled into Russia carrying the supreme leader.

Meeting only for the second time, Kim# Jong-un and Vladimir Putin greeted## each other like two familiar autocrats.# The summit lasted at least five hours,## with promises of greater economic and security# cooperation.

There were no signed agreements,## but gushing support for# Putin's invasion of Ukraine.

KIM JONG-UN, North Korean Leader (through# translator): Russia is currently a just fight against hegemonic forces to defend# its sovereig STEPHANIE SY: Up against a NATO-supplied# Ukrainian counteroffensive, Russian forces## need more guns and ammunition, even the old Soviet# kind.

And while 42 percent of North Koreans can't## get enough food, the government maintains a large# stockpile of these artillery shells and rockets.

U.S. officials suspect Moscow has already# procured North Korean War supplies and are## watching to see if today's meeting# leads to a more expansive arms deal.

But, since 2006, North Korea has been under# U.N. sanctions over its nuclear weapons program,## sanctions that Moscow previously# supported.

Putin's chosen location## for the summit is raising red flags.# The Vostochny Cosmodrome is Russia's## largest rocket launch site.

And it's no# secret that Kim wants a spy satellite.

Speaking at an official# launch, he avoided specifics.

KIM JONG-UN (through translator):# Together with comrade Putin,## we just had an elaborate discussion about# the military and political situation the## Korean Peninsula and in Europe and# have come to the conclusion that we## need to further intensify strategic and# tactical cooperation to ensure safety.

STEPHANIE SY: Despite international sanctions,## Putin seemed to suggest there# was room for coo VLADIMIR PUTIN, Russian President (through# translator): There are certain restrict military cooperation with North Korea.

But there# are thin STEPHANIE SY: For more on the# significance of today's meeting,## I'm joined by Jean Lee, former# Pyongyang correspondent for the## Associated Press and co-host of "The# Lazarus Heist" podcast on North Korea,## and by John Sipher.

He had a 28-year career in# the CIA and was based in Moscow during the 1990s.

Welcome, both of you, to the "NewsHour."

Putin and Kim played this off as a typical# diplomatic visit.

question among U.S. officials and other# analysts that this was transactional.## Putin needs ammunition.

Kim needs all sorts of# things, including food, military technology.

Assuming you agree on that, how much assistance# can North Korea actually provide Russia?

Jean, I will start with you.

JEAN LEE, Fo But this is one of those times.

So that's# why we're looking at this so closely,## because it comes 18 months into# Russia's conflict, its war in Ukraine,## perhaps at a time when it's running low# on some of the munitions that it needs.

And it's got a neighbor that is desperate and# has plenty of stockpiles of that ammunition## and some of that weaponry, because,# of course, North Korea for many,## many years was supported by the Soviet Union, and# so has a lot o that weaponry, that Moscow might need# right now to prolong that conflict.

STEPHANIE SY: John, what exactly does Putin need?## How much pressure is Russia's Defense# Ministry and industry under right now?

JOHN SIPHER, Former CIA Officer: Well,## there's reporting that the far in this war.

And they haven't actually# pushed forward at all during that time.

And so I think they're running low on# some stocks.

They know that the North## Koreans have Soviet and Russian-capable kind of## bullets, artillery shells and rockets and# things that the Russians can use.

in a sense, it's two things.

It's a signal that# Putin's maybe digging in for the long term here.

And it's also a signal that they're sort of## running low on things, and they# need some help from STEPHANIE SY: And do you agree, John, with# Jean, who Putin?

Is this a new low for him?

JOHN SIPHER: Yes, it's a signal he's## in for the long term.

But, frankly,## he's got no choice.

And so he's turning to North Korea.

Like, listen,## North Korea has the GDP of something like# as sistance than that to Ukraine during# this time.

He had to travel in an armored## train because North Korea doesn't have any# aircraft that are suitable or safe enough.

And so, yes, Vladimir Putin is going# to gain maybe some new shells -- or,## actually, many of these shells# are aging and probably duds and## such.

But he's doing what he has to do.# He's scraping the bottle of barrel here.

STEPHANIE SY: Jean, let's talk about# what Kim Jong-un gets from me eting.

And what are the ramifications# of this meeting with Putin f JEAN LEE: Well, for starters, he gets a stage.

He is coming out of isolation after# four years o shutting North Korea off from the world.# He's stepping out onto this platform that## President Putin is giving him.

And so# he has all the propaganda that he needs.

On the other side of the equation, I# think that he's gone to the space center,## and he's had conversations about space# technology.

So there's certainly a question## about whether this exchange has included# some piece of technology that will help## him advance that program.

And I think it's# important to note that it's not just about## space exploration.

This is a technology that is# very similar to ballistic missile technology.

And so you need those long-range rockets to# get those satellite launch vehicles up into## space.

And so this has ramifications, because# it's about proliferation.

And so this kind## of exchange of information will certainly# have the potential to help Kim Jong-un get## his nuclear program to the next level.

And# that should be very worrying for all of us.

STEPHANIE SY: John, I wonder if you# agree with that assessment, that the is a concern about nuclear proliferation# or technology transfer in that realm here?

JOHN SIPHER: I don't know if it's so# much about nuclear proliferation or## transfer of nuclear material, but# it is about, as Jean mentio satellites and reconnaissance satellites,# and the kind of equipment that's neces you're going to have a stand-alone ballistic# missile program that you're going to need.

And the Russians obviously have a lot# of experience going to space.

Now,## Russia has just had a space effort that# failed.

And Korea has sent to send satellites to space that have# also failed.

So there is some interest## here from North Korea to get both food# aid and aid with things like ST EPHANIE SY: To your point, John, Kim# Jong-un in recent months has had two## failed launches of a spy satellite# that he seems to desperately want.

Just three weeks ago from that Cosmodrome that# Putin has been boasting about, they had a failed## moon lander launch.

So, realistically,# how big of a threat is this alliance?

JOHN SIPHER: Frankly, I don't think# it's a big threat.

I don't think it## changes the strategic battlefield# here at all, because, like I said the fact the Russians have expended this# much ammunition and the North Koreans can## give them some additional ammunition is not# going to change things on the battlefield.

This has got to be humiliating for Putin that he# has to turn to places like Iran to get assistance.

He can't go elsewhere,# really.

Even China can't -- won't give him## military weapons and ammunition.

And so this --# it suggests that he's doing what he needs to do,## but it doesn't suggest that it's going to --# it's going to end up with more dead Russians## and dead Ukrainians, but I don't think it'll# change what's happening on the battlefield.

STEPHANIE SY: Jean, bigger picture,## what does the Putin-Kim meeting portend# JEAN LEE: Certainly, what## it projects and what it me the West, for the United States, if they want to# try to bring North Korea's nuclear ambitions under## control, because now you have got the president of# Russia standing with the leader of North Korea and## saying that they stand together, essentially,# against the United States and the West.

And that means it's going to be very difficult# for the U.S. and its allies to wi th any new U.N. Security Council resolutions.# And the U.N. Security Council has been a place## where they have meted out punishment and tried to# restrain North Korea from expanding its arsenal.

And that's going to be increasingly# difficult with this show of friendship.

STEPHANIE SY: Jean Lee of "The Lazarus Heist"# podcast and John Sipher, formerly with the CIA,## thank you both for joining us with your insights.

JEAN LEE: Thank you.