Overview

• Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met Kim Jong Un in Wonsan on July 12–13 and received North Korea’s pledge of “inconditionnel” backing for Moscow’s Ukraine offensive.
• The visit included a meeting with North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui to coordinate ongoing arms deliveries and military cooperation.
• Pyongyang has already deployed thousands of troops and shipped millions of artillery shells to support Russia under their 2024 mutual defense treaty.
• Both governments described their partnership as a bulwark against external “hegemonic” influences in Northeast Asia and the wider Asia-Pacific.
• The Kremlin confirmed that no reciprocal visit by Kim Jong Un to Russia is planned in the near term despite hopes for direct contacts.