Overview
- North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui met Sergey Lavrov and then Vladimir Putin in Moscow, with Putin asking her to relay his regards to Kim Jong Un and saying bilateral ties are progressing according to plan.
- Both foreign ministries said the talks focused on carrying out leader‑level agreements and accelerating practical cooperation under the 2024 strategic partnership and mutual‑defence treaty.
- Lavrov praised North Korean soldiers for fighting alongside Russian forces in the Kursk region, as Russian and North Korean readouts reaffirmed mutual support on sovereignty and security.
- Estimates from South Korea and Ukraine report that North Korea has sent roughly 10,000–15,000 troops and weapons to support Russia in Ukraine, with hundreds of North Korean casualties reported.
- Choe is listed to attend the Minsk International Conference on Eurasian Security in Belarus this week, and analysts say her travel lowers the odds of a surprise Kim–Trump meeting during the APEC gatherings in South Korea.