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.