Русский
The Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has met with North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui in Moscow. Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Choe in the Kremlin on Sunday (July 18), Lavrov and Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov were also present at that meeting before Lavrov held separate talks with Choe on Monday (July 19). This is what he had to say:
Lavrov: “Ms Minister, Comrades, we are delighted to see you, as President Vladimir Putin emphasised yesterday during his meeting with you in the Kremlin.
Two years have passed since the summit in Pyongyang in June 2024, and the decisions our leaders approved there are being implemented. Our foreign policy departments are contributing to this process, in particular, holding a third round of our strategic dialogue.
It is important that President Putin and Chairman of State Affairs of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea Comrade Kim Jong-un maintain their trust-based contacts. In this context, I would like to mention their participation in the celebration of the 80th anniversary of victory over militarist Japan held in Beijing on September 3, 2025. Last year, we jointly celebrated other significant dates as well, namely the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War, the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Korea, and the 80th anniversary of the Workers’ Party of Korea. These milestones laid the foundation of our allied relations that endure to this day.
This manifested itself most clearly in the Kursk Region, where the soldiers of the Korean People’s Army fought side by side with our military for the Russian region as if it were their own territory, bringing closer its liberation from Ukrainian Nazis and foreign mercenaries at the cost of their lives.
On April 26, 2026, a memorial and museum of heroic deeds in overseas military operations opened in Pyongyang. State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin and Defence Minister Andrey Belousov took part in that ceremony on instructions from President Putin. State decorations for combat excellence were presented to soldiers of the Korean People’s Army. That majestic memorial complex has become a symbol of friendship and unity of our peoples, immortalising the heroism of soldiers of the Korean People’s Army. Our people will always remember the unparalleled feats and exceptional courage of the Korean military, who selflessly fought side by side with our men against a common enemy.
Yet another piece of evidence of our strong alliance that is based on mutual trust was the participation of Korean personnel in the Victory Day Parade on Red Square on May 9, 2026.
Comrade Minister, our task today is to see what additional impetus we can give to our cooperation through bilateral channels, as well as when it comes to regional and international security.”
Following the meeting, the Foreign Ministry released a statement as follows:
The sides conducted a detailed discussion regarding key issues on the bilateral agenda and focused on the implementation of agreements reached between President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin and Chairman of State Affairs of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea Kim Jong-un in June 2024.
The sides reaffirmed their firm commitment to further developing the full spectrum of bilateral relations in accordance with the letter and spirit of the Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the Russian Federation and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, which elevated the traditionally friendly Russia–DPRK relationship to an entirely new level of alliance.
While discussing key international issues, the sides agreed that the irresponsible conduct of the United States and its allies, including the expansion of provocative military activities around the Korean Peninsula, has been the primary cause of the deteriorating security situation in Northeast Asia and beyond. In these circumstances, the comprehensive strengthening of relations between the Russian Federation and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea contributes to regional and international security and to the emergence of a new, more equitable multipolar world order based on the principles of equality, mutual respect, and due consideration for each other’s interests.
Strategic dialogue at the level of foreign ministers of Russia and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea was launched in November 2024 in accordance with agreements reached at the Pyongyang summit. In July 2025, Wonsan in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea hosted the second round of this strategic dialogue.
The sides agreed to continue communicating in this format and to conduct future exchanges between both countries’ foreign ministers at various levels.
A more in-depth report of Russia-North Korea bilateral relations will follow tomorrow. To ensure you receive this intelligence, a complimentary subscription to Russia’s Pivot To Asia, which includes a weekly update, can be accessed here.
