North Korea reiterates its backing of Russia in the Ukraine conflict

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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un

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

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Diplomatically isolated North Korea and Russia have rapidly expanded cooperation since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022.

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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.

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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”.

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“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.

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

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“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.

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

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Kim Jong Un last travelled to Russia in September 2023, and Putin made a rare visit to Pyongyang in June 2024.

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Choe’s visit to Moscow could have been aimed at discussing a trip to Russia by Kim later this year, according to South Korean media reports.

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“Putin has repeatedly invited Kim to visit Russia since his trip to Pyongyang in 2024,” Park Won-gon, a professor of North Korean studies at Ewha Womans University, told AFP.

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Chinese president Xi Jinping made a rare trip to Pyongyang last month, where he and Kim pledged to bolster ties.

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While Pyongyang has drawn closer to Moscow, China remains North Korea’s largest economic partner, accounting for nearly 98 percent of the country’s foreign trade in 2024, according to official figures.

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“After hosting Chinese President Xi Jinping this year, Kim would have a strong incentive to visit Russia as well,” Park said.

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“It would showcase North Korea breaking out of diplomatic isolation while highlighting support from both China and Russia, reinforcing the image of a North Korea-China-Russia alignment.”

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