North Korea has reiterated its support for Russia’s military actions in Ukraine during a recent meeting between the two countries’ foreign ministers in Moscow, according to Pyongyang’s state media. The diplomatic engagement underscores growing cooperation between the two states amid international isolation.
North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow, where both sides expressed a commitment to strengthening their bilateral relations. Pyongyang’s official news agency KCNA reported that North Korea voiced unwavering support for Russia’s domestic and foreign policies aimed at resolving the Ukraine conflict and safeguarding Russia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Russia, in turn, affirmed its backing of North Korea’s efforts to protect its own sovereignty and security.
The meeting follows a series of developments reflecting closer ties between the two nations, including North Korea’s reported deployment of troops to Russia’s embattled Kursk region and supply of weapons systems to Moscow. Analysts suggest these exchanges have been accompanied by Russian provision of financial aid, food, energy supplies, and military technology to North Korea.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a video statement released by the Kremlin, expressed gratitude for North Korea’s support for Russia’s "special military operation" in Ukraine. During her visit, Choe laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers near the Kremlin wall, a gesture noted by KCNA.
This diplomatic activity comes after a recent visit to Russia in September 2023 by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and a subsequent visit to Pyongyang by Vladimir Putin in June 2024. South Korean media have speculated that Choe’s visit may be related to arranging a prospective trip by Kim to Moscow later this year. Park Won-gon, a professor of North Korean studies at Ewha Womans University, noted that Putin has extended repeated invitations to Kim following his 2024 visit to Pyongyang.
The diplomatic momentum coincides with a high-profile visit to Pyongyang last month by Chinese President Xi Jinping, during which he and Kim pledged to strengthen bilateral ties. Despite North Korea’s growing alignment with Russia, China remains its primary economic partner, accounting for approximately 98 percent of North Korea’s foreign trade in 2024, according to official statistics.
Experts suggest that a potential visit by Kim Jong-un to Russia could symbolize North Korea’s emergence from diplomatic isolation and emphasize the developing strategic partnership among North Korea, China, and Russia. Such a move would highlight North Korea’s efforts to assert its presence on the international stage while securing support from its key allies.