Russian President Vladimir Putin met North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui in Moscow on Monday, reaffirming deepening military and political cooperation between the two countries and saying bilateral relations were “going to plan,” according to the Kremlin.
During the meeting, Putin asked Choe to convey his best wishes to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, noting that their strategic partnership, signed last year, continues to progress. “We talked in detail in Beijing about our relations and prospects for development. Everything is going according to plan,” Putin said, referring to his discussions with Kim last month in China.
Choe also held talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who thanked Pyongyang for its support in Russia’s war in Ukraine. According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, the two diplomats discussed regional security issues and blamed rising tensions on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia on the “aggressive actions of the United States and its allies.”
North Korea has become a key supplier of artillery ammunition and missiles to Russia and has reportedly deployed thousands of troops to assist Moscow’s forces in Ukraine. Ukrainian and South Korean intelligence agencies estimate that more than 10,000 North Korean soldiers have participated in the conflict, with around 2,000 killed in action.
The Kremlin released photographs of Putin’s meeting with Choe but offered few details beyond confirming the exchange of greetings with Kim.
