North Korean chief Kim Jong Un expressed his unwavering help for Russia’s struggle in Ukraine throughout a gathering with Russian safety council secretary Sergei Shoigu in Pyongyang, North Korea state media reported Saturday.
The assembly on Friday adopted a South Korean intelligence evaluation in late February suggesting North Korea had doubtless despatched further troops to Russia after heavy casualties amongst Russian forces in Ukraine.
On Wednesday, Ukraine and Russia agreed in precept to a restricted ceasefire following discussions with US President Donald Trump, although particulars on its implementation and restricted targets stay unclear.
In accordance with North Korean and Russian state media, Kim and Shoigu mentioned Russia’s struggle in Ukraine, Moscow’s dialogues with the Trump administration, and safety developments on the Korean Peninsula. Each side reaffirmed their dedication to “unconditionally” uphold a serious mutual defence treaty established throughout final yr’s summit in Pyongyang, which pledges mutual help if both nation faces aggression.
Throughout the assembly, Kim said that North Korea would “invariably help Russia within the wrestle for defending the nationwide sovereignty, territorial integrity and safety pursuits,” in response to the Korean Central Information Company (KCNA).
Shoigu delivered a message from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who prolonged his greetings to Kim and vowed to present “utmost consideration” to implementing agreements from their earlier summits. He additionally thanked North Korea for its “solidarity with Russia’s place on all important geopolitical points, notably on the Ukrainian challenge.”
Neither North Korean nor Russian media reported any new agreements earlier than Shoigu’s departure from Pyongyang in a while Friday.
North Korea has been supplying Russia with massive portions of typical weapons and reportedly despatched between 10,000 to 12,000 troops to Russia final fall, in response to US, South Korean, and Ukrainian intelligence officers. South Korea’s Nationwide Intelligence Service said on February 27 that it was working to find out the precise variety of further North Korean troops deployed to Russia. Some South Korean media estimates place the newly deployed forces at between 1,000 and three,000 troopers.
South Korea, the US, and different nations suspect North Korea is receiving financial and navy help from Russia in alternate for offering troops and weaponry. Analysts consider North Korea will doubtless improve its help for Russia to maximise its strategic features earlier than the struggle ends.
Shoigu’s go to could also be linked to preparations for Kim to journey to Russia, some observers recommend. Putin had invited Kim to go to Moscow throughout his journey to Pyongyang final yr for his or her summit.
In 2023, when Shoigu, then serving as Russia’s defence minister, visited North Korea, Kim personally guided him by way of a North Korean arms exhibition, which outdoors critics likened to a gross sales pitch. Shoigu returned in September 2024 in his new function as safety council secretary to satisfy Kim once more, with state media reporting that the 2 mentioned increasing cooperation.
In the meantime, earlier on Friday, KCNA reported that Kim oversaw the take a look at launches of recent anti-aircraft missiles the day past. Kim described the missiles as “one other main defence weapons system” for North Korea.
The missile assessments marked North Korea’s sixth weapons launch this yr and coincided with the conclusion of the annual US-South Korea navy workout routines, which North Korea views as a rehearsal for invasion. The 11-day Freedom Protect train was the primary large-scale joint navy drill since Trump’s inauguration in January.
North Korea continuously responds to main US-South Korean drills with weapons assessments and aggressive rhetoric. Simply hours after this yr’s Freedom Protect train started on March 10, North Korea fired a number of ballistic missiles into the ocean.
