SEOUL, June 10. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has offered Moscow full support in the ongoing war in Ukraine during talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
Lavrov’s visit to North Korea was the latest in a series of high-profile visits by top Moscow officials as the two countries deepen military and political ties amid Russia’s offensive against Kiev.
Pyongyang has sent thousands of troops to Russia’s Kursk region to push back Ukrainian forces and has provided Russian forces with artillery and missiles.
Kim and Lavrov met on Saturday in an “atmosphere of warm comradely trust,” the official KCNA news agency said.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry posted a video on Telegram of the two shaking hands and hugging each other, saying the talks took place in Wonsan, on the country’s east coast. A large resort opened in Wonsan earlier this month.
Kim told Lavrov that North Korea is “ready to unconditionally support and encourage all measures taken by the Russian leadership in dealing with the root causes of the Ukrainian crisis,” KCNA said.
The North Korean leader also expressed “firm belief that the Russian army and people will definitely achieve victory in fulfilling the sacred mission of defending the dignity and fundamental interests of the country.”
The two leaders discussed important issues to faithfully implement the agreements reached at the historic North Korea-Russia summit in June 2024,” KCNA said.
The two heavily sanctioned countries signed a military agreement last year, including a mutual defense clause, during a rare visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin to North Korea.
Lavrov told Kim that Putin “hoped to continue direct contacts in the near future,” according to Russian state news agency Tass. Russian and North Korean state media said Lavrov would stay until Sunday.
Earlier on Saturday, Lavrov met with his counterpart Choe Son Hui and thanked the “valiant” North Korean soldiers deployed to assist Russia.
“Both sides stressed their firm determination to jointly confront the aspirations of non-regional actors that are escalating tensions in Northeast Asia and the entire Asia-Pacific region,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said. Ahead of the visit, Russia announced the launch of twice-weekly flights between Moscow and Pyongyang.
Lavrov praised Wonsan as “a good tourist attraction,” saying, “We hope it will be popular not only among local citizens, but also among Russians.”
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