Putin, Kim Jong Un attend Chinese parade of weapons

China on Wednesday staged a massive military parade in Tiananmen Square to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. While thousands of troops, nuclear missiles, combat aircraft, and other advanced weaponry passed spectators, international attention was focused on Chinese President Xi Jinping’s guests. Russian leader Vladimir Putin and North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un appeared in public alongside Xi for the first time. Kim also brought along his daughter, Kim Ju-ae, his potential successor. It is the first known international trip on which she has accompanied her father.

No major Western leaders attended the parade, which specifically marked Japan’s surrender on Sept. 2, 1945, when the formal documents were signed aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay.

What happened after the parade? Putin and Kim met for several hours following the celebration, though officials have not said what they discussed. The two countries have a close relationship. Last year, U.S. intelligence reported that North Korean troops were assisting Russian forces near the warfront in Ukraine. In a social media post on Tuesday, President Donald Trump accused Xi, Putin, and Kim of conspiring against the United States and criticized China for not recognizing the United States’ role in defeating Japanese forces in WWII. Kremlin spokesman Yuri Ushakov told the Russian state-owned media outlet TASS that the countries were not conspiring against the United States.

Dig deeper: Read Elizabeth Russell’s report from yesterday about Xi, Putin, and Mongolia’s leader signing agreements earlier this week.