Moscow’s view of the upcoming meeting between Kim Jong Un and Donald Trump in Hanoi could be described as one of cautious optimism.

In a broader Russian foreign policy context, the manner in which the Kremlin views any North Korea-U.S. dialogue depends on two factors: the DPRK’s position in Russia-U.S. relations, and how Pyongyang fits into Moscow’s regional-level interests in East Asia.

Moscow, once an ally of the DPRK, is now keen to regenerate its stagnant ties with Pyongyang, while Moscow-Washington relations have cooled immensely.

From the Russian perspective, the continued diplomatic trajectory of DPRK-U.S. relations, while not a clear-cut