Overview

• Sergey Lavrov met Kim Jong Un and Foreign Minister Choe Son-hi in Wonsan on July 12 to reaffirm their comprehensive strategic partnership.
• North Korea pledged unconditional support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and discussed the possibility of sending up to 30,000 troops to bolster Russian forces.
• Lavrov publicly defended Pyongyang’s nuclear development as a legitimate exercise of sovereignty, signaling Russia’s backing of North Korea’s program.
• The two governments drafted a 2026–27 exchange plan to deepen military, economic and infrastructural cooperation under their strategic alliance.
• Direct flights between Moscow and Pyongyang resumed this month and train services restarted, strengthening transport links ahead of a potential Putin–Kim summit.