North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian Defence Minister Andrey Belousov held talks in Pyongyang regarding military cooperation between their countries. They discussed transitioning this cooperation to a long-term basis and potentially signing a Military Cooperation Plan for 2027-2031. Belousov expressed gratitude for the warm reception and highlighted the strong bilateral relations.
Belousov mentioned the high level of Russian-Korean interstate relations and praised Kim’s invitation of a Russian military delegation to a museum opening. He emphasized the significance of this historic event and anticipated further bilateral engagements in various fields. Notably, North Korea had previously deployed troops to support Russia in a conflict following a strategic partnership treaty signed in 2024.
In a separate event, Russia declared the recapture of the Kursk region with North Korean troops’ involvement. This was part of a broader collaboration, as evidenced by the visit of Russia’s lower house of parliament Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin to Pyongyang. During a meeting with Kim, Volodin conveyed greetings from Russian President Putin and congratulated Kim on his reelection.
