North Korean officers have “reaffirmed their help for all goals” within the Russia-Ukraine struggle, says Russian FM.
Russian International Minister Sergey Lavrov has met with Kim Jong Un in North Korea, throughout which Pyongyang reaffirmed its help for Russia’s war in Ukraine by which hundreds of its troopers have been killed.
Lavrov “was acquired” by Kim, Russia’s Ministry of International Affairs mentioned on Telegram on Saturday, posting a video of the 2 males shaking fingers and embracing in Wonsan. Russian and North Korean state media had introduced the go to earlier, saying Lavrov would keep till Sunday.
It’s the streaming site in a collection of high-profile journeys by prime Moscow officers to North Korea because the international locations deepen army and political ties with a give attention to Russia’s offensive in Ukraine.
Pyongyang has turn into one in every of Moscow’s major allies throughout its greater than three-year-long struggle in Ukraine, sending hundreds of troops and standard weapons to assist the Kremlin take away Ukrainian forces from Kursk in Russia.
Greater than 6,000 North Korean troopers have died within the Russia-Ukraine struggle, based on British Defence Intelligence.
North Korea has additionally agreed to dispatch 6,000 military engineers and builders to assist reconstruction efforts there.
The South Korean intelligence service has mentioned North Korea could also be making ready to deploy extra troops in July or August.
America and South Korea have expressed concern that, in return, Kim might search Russian know-how transfers that would improve the risk posed by his nuclear-armed army.
Earlier on Saturday, Lavrov met along with his North Korean counterpart Choe Son Hui in Wonsan, a metropolis on the nation’s east coast, the place an enormous resort was opened earlier this month.
“We exchanged views on the state of affairs surrounding the Ukrainian disaster … Our Korean pals confirmed their agency help for all of the goals of the particular army operation, in addition to for the actions of the Russian management and armed forces,” Russian information company TASS quoted Lavrov as saying.
He additionally thanked the “heroic” North Korean troopers, the Russian International Ministry mentioned.
In April, the 2 international locations officially confirmed the deployment of North Korean troops to Russia for the primary time, saying these troops had helped Russia to recapture the Kursk area – a declare contested by Ukraine.
Since then, Kim has been proven in state media paying tribute in entrance of flag-draped coffins of North Korean troopers.
Russia’s Safety Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu has visited Pyongyang a number of instances this yr.
The 2 closely sanctioned nations signed a sweeping military deal final November, together with a mutual defence clause, throughout a uncommon go to by Russian President Vladimir Putin to North Korea. Pyongyang has reportedly been straight arming Moscow to help its struggle in Ukraine.
Within the meantime, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned in his nightly deal with on Friday that US weapons shipments to his nation had resumed, following the Pentagon’s determination to briefly halt the supply of sure weapons to Kyiv over fears that US stockpiles had been dwindling.
The US will deliver military supplies and send its envoy Keith Kellogg to Kyiv early next week, mentioned Zelenskyy.