North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin met in Vladivostok for the first time on Thursday, at 1405 local time, to kick off their long-awaited summit.

Assembling in front of Building S on the campus of the Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU) on Russky Island, Putin welcomed Kim as he stepped out of his limousine.

The two then exchanged greetings with top officials from both countries including their foreign ministers and vice-foreign ministers before sitting down for brief opening statements to the press.

Putin told Kim he was “confident that your visit to Russia today