On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin held a significant meeting with North Korea's Foreign Minister, Choe Son Hui, at the Kremlin, affirming that the strategic partnership between their nations is progressing exactly as intended .
During the talks, President Putin asked Minister Choe to convey his best wishes to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, stating that their bilateral relations were "going according to plan" . This assessment follows detailed discussions between Putin and Kim the previous month in Beijing . Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who also met with Choe, noted that relations have "received a powerful impetus" over the past several months, developing the agreements made by their leaders .
The meetings also served to highlight the strong solidarity between Moscow and Pyongyang. Minister Choe expressed Pyongyang's "unwavering" support for Russia's policies of defending state sovereignty and territorial integrity . In a powerful statement of unity, Minister Lavrov thanked North Korea for its support in the war in Ukraine and vowed that Russians "will never forget the heroic deeds" performed by North Korean soldiers in the Kursk region, which he said strengthens the bonds of friendship in their "shared struggle for justice" .
The current depth of cooperation stems from the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty signed by Putin and Kim in June 2024 . This pact includes a mutual defense clause and has ushered in what analysts describe as an "unprecedented high level" of cooperation, perhaps even surpassing the closeness of the Soviet era . One senior analyst noted that "North Korea is now a more important ally for Russia than Iran or China," supplying essential ammunition and heavy weapons .
This alliance provides significant strategic benefits for both nations. For Russia, North Korea has supplied artillery shells and ballistic missiles vital to its military campaign and has deployed thousands of experienced troops to the front lines . In return, North Korea gains valuable economic support, including shipments of oil and wheat, and potentially critical transfers of military technology . This cooperation also provides the North Korean military with priceless modern combat experience . Furthermore, the relationship offers Pyongyang greater strategic leverage and reduces its incentive to engage with the United States or South Korea .
Both nations frame their strengthened alliance as a necessary response to what they label the "aggressive actions of the United States and its allies," which they blame for rising tensions in Northeast Asia . This partnership, solidified in the face of international pressure, has fundamentally reshaped the geopolitical landscape. A report from The Diplomat concludes that the two countries have gradually built a "battle-tested" cooperative mechanism that is more efficient than most security alliances, providing crucial support for Russia's war efforts while offering North Korea technology, political backing, and a path out of economic and geopolitical isolation .