Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes fingers with North Korean Overseas Minister Choe Son Hui throughout their assembly on the Kremlin in Moscow, Sunday, July 19, 2026.
Alexander Shcherbak/Pool Sputnik Kremlin through AP
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Alexander Shcherbak/Pool Sputnik Kremlin through AP
SEOUL, South Korea — Russian President Vladimir Putin met with North Korea’s overseas minister and thanked Pyongyang for supporting his conflict towards Ukraine, within the newest high-level diplomacy between the international locations, Russian state media reported.
The go to by North Korean Overseas Minister Choe Son Hui comes with out an apparent event, comparable to a multilateral diplomatic occasion or state anniversary, and has raised hypothesis that she could also be coordinating a potential go to to Russia by North Korean chief Kim Jong Un. North Korean state media mentioned Choe departed for Russia on Saturday on the invitation of Russian Overseas Minister Sergey Lavrov however has but to touch upon the aim of her go to.
Yoon Min Ho, spokesperson for South Korea’s Unification Ministry, which handles affairs associated to North Korea, mentioned Monday that Seoul was carefully monitoring the conferences however declined to evaluate whether or not Moscow and Pyongyang had been discussing one other summit between their leaders.
Russia’s Tass information company mentioned Putin throughout his assembly with Choe on the Kremlin on Sunday praised the international locations’ bilateral relations and reiterated his “gratitude to the North Korean leadership and people” for supporting his navy operations towards Ukraine. Choe advised Putin that Kim stays dedicated to the “comprehensive development” of relations with Russia, Tass mentioned.
Kim traveled to Russia’s Far East for summits with Putin in 2019 and 2023. Putin invited Kim to go to Russia once more throughout their summit in Pyongyang in June 2024, the place the leaders signed a strategic partnership settlement pledging mutual assist if both nation faces aggression.
Kim in recent times has made Russia the precedence of his overseas coverage, sending 1000’s of troops and big provides of weapons to assist Putin’s conflict in Ukraine, probably in trade for financial assist and expertise transfers that some specialists say are serving to advance North Korea’s navy capabilities.
Kim has additionally been looking for stronger ties with China, together with internet hosting Chinese language President Xi Jinping for a June summit in Pyongyang, as he embraces the thought of a “new Cold War” and projecting Pyongyang as a part of a united entrance towards Washington.
Choe’s go to to Moscow got here shortly after North Korea and China exchanged high-level visits, with North Korean Cupboard premier, Pak Thae Music, Kim’s prime financial official, assembly Xi in Beijing and Wang Huning, a member of the Chinese language Communist Celebration’s highly effective Politburo Standing Committee, visiting Kim in Pyongyang this month.
Kim has suspended all significant dialogue with the USA and South Korea for the reason that collapse of his nuclear diplomacy with U.S. President Donald Trump in 2019. He has used Russia’s conflict on Ukraine as a distraction to speed up the development of his nuclear weapons and missile program, whereas demanding that Washington abandon its requires North Korea’s nuclear disarmament as a precondition for talks.
