N. Korea Leader Arrives for Talks With Putin

After a nine-day trip by train across Russia, North Korean leader Kim Jong Il rolled into Moscow for talks expected to focus on renewing an alliance with Moscow and shaping a new security agenda on the volatile Korean peninsula.

Russian officials said Kim and President Vladimir V. Putin are likely to sign a declaration on world affairs, which presumably will include strong shared opposition to U.S. plans to build a missile defense system.

Kim’s stand on the issue will be closely watched by Washington, which has yet to receive a formal response to President Bush’s offer to resume talks with North Korea.