Kim Jong Un cancels Russia trip

Katharine Lackey | USA TODAY

Kim Jong Un canceled plans to visit Russia in the coming weeks, citing internal issues in North Korea, according to a statement from the Kremlin on Thursday.

The highly anticipated trip would have been Kim's first official foreign visit since taking power in 2011 after the death of his father.

"He has decided to stay in Pyongyang," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on a conference call, according to NBC News. "This decision is related to (North) Korea's internal affairs."

The leader of the reclusive nation had been scheduled to arrive in time for Moscow's May 9 Victory Day parade to celebrate the 70th anniversary of defeating the Nazis in World War II.

As part of the visit, Kim was to have met with Russian President Vladimir Putin, CNN reported, citing Russia's TASS news agency.

In March, Russia said Kim was among the 26 world leaders who had accepted invitations to take part in the commemorations, the Associated Press reported. However, North Korea never confirmed Kim planned to attend.

President Obama and other top Western leaders are snubbing the event because of Russia's incursion into eastern Ukraine and its annexation of Crimea last year.

Contributing: Anna Arutunyan in Moscow