Russia‑North Korea cooperation intensifies over Ukraine

In June 2024 Russia and North Korea signed a comprehensive strategic partnership obligating mutual assistance against aggression. The following month, North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui travelled to Moscow at Sergei Lavrov’s invitation, holding high‑level talks to deepen the strategic and military alliance. President Vladimir Putin publicly thanked Pyongyang for sending thousands of troops, missiles, ammunition and other aid that helped Russian forces retake the Kursk region, describing the North Korean soldiers’ actions as “heroic deeds”.

A day later Putin reiterated this gratitude at a Kremlin meeting, underscoring Moscow’s willingness to acknowledge North Korea’s role and hinting at a possible future summit with Kim Jong‑un. Subsequent statements by both leaders reaffirmed a commitment to expand political, military and economic cooperation, while a wave of reciprocal high‑level exchanges involving China, Russia and North Korea signalled a broader regional alignment. The deepening partnership is seen as a factor that could reshape the dynamics of the Ukraine conflict and wider security in the region.