North Korea and Russia pave way for Kim Jong-un's Moscow visit

North Korea's top diplomat, Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui, held high-level talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Sunday. The meeting, reported by state-run TASS, centered on continued ammunition and missile supplies to fuel Russia's war in Ukraine, as well as preparations for a possible visit by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Putin expressed gratitude for Pyongyang's support in Russia's "special military operation," specifically citing the deployment of North Korean troops to aid in the liberation of the Kursk region. He stated that the exploits of these soldiers would never be forgotten and that they had been awarded Russian state decorations, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

The dialogue comes more than two years after Putin invited Kim to Moscow during their landmark summit in Pyongyang in June 2024. Analysts view the recent diplomatic outreach as a clear signal that North Korea is deepening its military alliance with Russia, exchanging critical munitions for economic aid, technology, and political backing. The potential visit by Kim would solidify this partnership and further isolate Pyongyang from international condemnation, while giving Moscow a steady supply of artillery shells and short-range missiles. This cooperation threatens to prolong the conflict in Ukraine and destabilize security dynamics in Northeast Asia.