North Korean Diplomat Meets Putin Amid Ukraine War Aid Discussions and Possible Kim Visit
Quick Look
- North Korea's Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow to discuss ammunition and missile shipments for the Ukraine war, and prepare for a possible Kim Jong-un visit.
- Putin thanked North Korea for its support and for sending Korean People's Army soldiers to the Kursk region.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The meeting occurred more than two years after Russian President Vladimir Putin invited North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to Moscow during their June 2024 summit in Pyongyang.
North Korea’s top diplomat was in Moscow this weekend for talks analysts say likely focused on fresh ammunition and missile shipments to feed Russia’s war in Ukraine, while also laying the groundwork for a possible visit by Kim Jong-un.
Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui met Vladimir Putin on Sunday, more than two years after Russia’s president had invited Kim to Moscow during their landmark summit in Pyongyang in June 2024.
On Sunday, Putin expressed fresh gratitude for North Korea’s assistance in Russia’s “special military operation”, the state-run Tass news agency reported, using Moscow’s term for the Ukraine war.
“Once again, I would like to express gratitude for the support for our special military operation, for the decision to send soldiers of the Korean People’s Army to take part in the liberation of the Kursk region,” Putin was quoted as saying.
He added that the exploits of North Korean troops would never be forgotten in Russia and said they had been awarded Russian state decorations, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Kim Jong-un will likely visit Moscow.
Likely · Within months
Open Questions
- What specific munitions were discussed?
- When will Kim Jong-un's possible visit to Moscow take place?
- What are the exact terms of North Korea's military assistance?
