North Korean leader Kim Jong-il is holding talks with President Dmitry Medvedev on his first trip to Russia since 2002.
The meeting in Siberia is expected to focus on Pyongyang's nuclear programme, energy and food shortages in the North, the BBC reports.
North Korean officials have been talking to their South Korean and American counterparts over the past few weeks about restarting formal negotiations on the nuclear programme - the so-called six party talks, of which Russia is a member.
Aside from political support, North Korea is also looking for investment from Russia to prop up its ailing economy.
Kim Jong-Il's visit comes amid severe economic hardship and reports of food shortages in North Korea. Last week, Russia announced it was providing 50,000 tons of wheat to Pyongyang.
The itinerary for Mr Kim's visit, which is expected to last about a week, has largely been kept secret, the BBC reports.
During his first few days in Russia, he is reported to have visited a dam north of Vladivostock, taken a swim in the waters of Lake Baikal, and toured a Soviet-era aviation plant.
