Kim Jong-un assures Sergei Lavrov of his "unconditional" support against Ukraine

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has assured Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov of his " unconditional " support in the war against Ukraine, deeming Moscow's victory " certain ," Pyongyang's official media reported Sunday.

According to the state news agency KCNA, Mr. Kim received Mr. Lavrov " in an atmosphere of trust and warm camaraderie ," at a time when North Korea and Russia are strengthening their diplomatic and military ties. The Russian Foreign Ministry posted a video on Telegram of the two men shaking hands and embracing.

Skip the ad

Moscow and Pyongyang signed a mutual defense pact last year, and North Korea has sent thousands of troops to help recapture the Kursk region, which was captured by the Ukrainian army in the summer of 2024. North Korea also supplies Russia with shells and missiles.

According to KCNA, Kim Jong-un told his guest that North Korea was " ready to unconditionally support and encourage all measures taken by the Russian leadership to eliminate the root cause of the Ukrainian crisis ." The North Korean leader also expressed his " firm belief that the Russian army and people will achieve certain victory in fulfilling the sacred cause of defending the dignity and fundamental interests of the country ."

The two men also discussed " important issues for the faithful implementation of the agreements reached " at their summit in 2024, when the defense pact was sealed during a rare visit to North Korea by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Mr. Lavrov said Mr. Putin hopes for " the continuation of direct contacts" with Kim Jong-un "as soon as possible ," according to the Russian state agency Tass.

The Kremlin was asked this week about the possibility of the North Korean leader visiting Russia soon, but responded that it was not currently planned. The Kim-Lavrov meeting took place in Wonsan, on North Korea's east coast, where a major tourist complex has just been inaugurated.

The Russian foreign minister also met with his North Korean counterpart, Choe Son Hui, whom he thanked for the " heroic " behavior of the North Koreans deployed alongside Russian forces against Ukraine, according to Tass. The two sides " underscored their determination to jointly combat the hegemonic aspirations of external actors in the region, which are leading to an escalation of tensions in Northeast Asia and the entire Asia-Pacific region ," according to the Russian Foreign Ministry.

Skip the ad

According to the Russian agency, when asked about the possibility of North Korean troops being deployed to other parts of the front, Sergei Lavrov replied that it was up to Pyongyang to decide. " We assume that the DPRK itself determines the forms in which we implement our strategic partnership agreement ," he said, using the country's official acronym, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.