RUSSIAN President Vladimir Putin and his North Korean counterpart Kim Jong Un pledged stronger ties between the two countries ahead of talks in Vladivostok today.

The pair discussed denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula with the Russian premier offering to support talks between Pyongyang and Washington which collapsed earlier this year.

Speaking ahead of the summit, Mr Kim said he hoped for “a very useful meeting in developing the relationship between the two countries, who have a long friendship and history, into a more stable and sound one.”