Rocket men What we learned from Putin-Kim summit

The US dismissed the meeting of pariah state leaders as 'desperation' - but there are fears over what it could signal

- Justin McCurry

Vladimir Putin's meeting with Kim Jong-un last week was dismissed by the US as an act of desperation by the Russian president. Although few details have emerged about the leaders' discussions, the summit in the Russian Far East could preface worrying developments in the war in Ukraine and for Kim's military ambitions. Now the North Korean leader has returned home, here are five takeaways from the summit.

North Korea has designs on the final frontier

Kim reportedly travelled to Russia hoping to sell artillery shells and anti-tank missiles to the Kremlin, but his role was more than that of arms salesman. His meeting with Putin sent unmistakable signals that the regime in Pyongyang is still interested in establishing a presence in space, despite - or perhaps because of - its recent failure to put military satellites into orbit.

The venue for his meeting with Putin, Vostochny cosmodrome, was significant. The leaders toured assembly and launch facilities and Kim was briefed on technical details about Russian space vehicles. There have been doubts over Russia's willingness to share sensitive information about weapons technologies with North Korea in exchange for what may end up being limited supplies of munitions. But Putin did not rule out helping the regime launch its own satellites and rockets.

Russia's war in Ukraine is pushing rogue states into each other's arms

The Kim-Putin summit was not just a meeting of minds - or an opportunity to exchange gifts of small arms - but a demonstration that the two pariah states need each other more than ever.