North Korea reaffirms support for Russia over Ukraine

North Korea reaffirmed its support for Russia’s war on Ukraine as the nations’ foreign ministers met in Moscow, Pyongyang’s state media reported on Tuesday, increasing speculation that Kim Jong-un may soon visit the Kremlin.

Diplomatically isolated North Korea and Russia have rapidly expanded cooperation since the Russia-Ukraine war started in early 2022.

Pyongyang has sent troops to Russia’s embattled Kursk region and supplied Moscow with weapons systems, in return securing financial assistance, food, energy supplies and military technology, analysts say.

Following a Moscow meeting between North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui and her Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, Pyongyang’s state media said the nations had “reaffirmed their steadfast political will to accelerate the long-term multi-faceted development of the bilateral relations”.

“The DPRK side expressed invariable support for all the internal and external policies of the Russian Federation to eliminate the root cause of the Ukrainian dispute and defend its national sovereignty, territorial integrity and international justice,” state news agency KCNA said.

The agency reported that Russia, meanwhile, expressed full support for North Korea’s efforts to defend its sovereignty and security.

“I would like once again to express my gratitude for the support provided to the special military operation we are conducting,” Putin said in a video released by the Kremlin on Sunday.

Choe laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers by the wall of the Kremlin on her visit, KCNA said Tuesday.