North Korean Kim Backs Russia’s War in Ukraine During Lavrov Visit
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un offered his full support for Russia’s war in Ukraine during talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, state media in Pyongyang reported on Sunday.
Lavrov’s visit marks the latest in a series of high-level exchanges as Moscow and Pyongyang deepen military and political ties amid Russia’s ongoing offensive in Ukraine.
North Korea has sent thousands of troops to Russia’s Kursk region to support Moscow’s efforts and has supplied the Russian military with artillery shells and missiles, according to reports from both countries.
Russia’s foreign ministry described Lavrov’s talks with Kim as held in a “warm, comradely atmosphere.”
Lavrov expressed “sincere gratitude” to Pyongyang for its support in Kursk and for backing what Russia calls its “special military operation” in Ukraine, the ministry said in a statement.
Both sides also blamed Western nations for rising tensions on the Korean Peninsula, the statement added.
A video shared by the Russian foreign ministry on Telegram showed Kim and Lavrov shaking hands and embracing at their meeting in Wonsan, a coastal city in eastern North Korea, where a large resort—one of Kim’s key development projects—opened earlier this month.
According to North Korean state media KCNA, Kim told Lavrov that Pyongyang was “ready to unconditionally support and encourage all the measures taken by the Russian leadership” to address what it described as the root cause of the war in Ukraine.
Russia’s eventual victory
He also expressed confidence in Russia’s eventual victory, citing what he called President Vladimir Putin’s “outstanding leadership.”
The talks also covered the implementation of agreements made during a June 2024 summit between Kim and Putin, KCNA reported.
Lavrov conveyed Putin’s wish for continued direct engagement with Kim “in the very near future,” according to Russia’s TASS news agency.
Lavrov departed Pyongyang on Sunday and traveled to Beijing to attend a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s Council of Foreign Ministers, TASS reported.
Twice-weekly flights
Russia announced plans to launch twice-weekly flights between Moscow and Pyongyang ahead of Lavrov’s visit.
Lavrov praised Wonsan as “a good tourist attraction,” expressing hope that it would become popular among Russian visitors.
On Saturday, Lavrov also met with North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui. KCNA described the bilateral relationship as an “invincible alliance,” while Russia reaffirmed its “firm support” for North Korea’s efforts to defend its national security. In return, Choe voiced “full sympathy and support” for Russia’s actions in Ukraine.
TASS earlier reported that Lavrov thanked the “heroic” North Korean soldiers aiding Russian forces.
According to South Korean officials, roughly 600 North Korean troops have been killed and thousands more wounded while fighting for Russia. North Korea acknowledged in April that it had deployed troops to Ukraine and confirmed combat casualties.
Both countries reiterated their shared goal to counter what they described as the hegemonic ambitions of “extra-regional players,” which they said are exacerbating tensions in Northeast Asia and the wider Asia-Pacific region.
In 2024, the two heavily sanctioned states signed a defense pact that includes a mutual security clause, during a rare visit by President Putin to Pyongyang.
