Putin Praises Growing Ties Between Russia and North Korea

Russia and North Korea are deepening their partnership at a rapid pace, with President Vladimir Putin meeting North Korean Foreign Minister Choi Son Hui in the Kremlin on Monday. Putin said relations between Moscow and Pyongyang are developing "according to plan," while Choi promised to deliver Putin's "warm greetings" to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

The meeting highlights how much has changed between these two countries. They signed a mutual defense agreement in 2024 after Putin made an official visit to Pyongyang. Since then, high-level officials from both nations have been meeting regularly - something that wasn't happening just a few years ago.

Choi made North Korea's position crystal clear during her Moscow visit. She said Pyongyang maintains "unwavering support" for Russian policies aimed at "building a strong Russia." This kind of public backing matters when Russia faces international isolation over its actions in Ukraine.

The partnership goes beyond just diplomatic meetings. In July, a commercial flight from Moscow landed in Pyongyang for the first time in decades. Russia and North Korea also started building their first land bridge connecting the two countries in April. The nations share a small 20-kilometer border in the far east, but until recently, there wasn't much activity there.

Both leaders have been making high-profile appearances together. Putin and Kim attended a massive military parade in Beijing alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping in early September. In October, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, who now serves as deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, showed up at a military parade in Pyongyang celebrating the 80th anniversary of the ruling party's founding.

The cultural ties are growing too. Moscow recently hosted an art exhibition celebrating the alliance between the two countries. The paintings showed North Korean soldiers alongside their Russian "comrades" and included portraits of Kim Jong Un.

For Russia, this partnership provides a crucial ally that isn't afraid to publicly support its policies. For North Korea, it means breaking out of diplomatic isolation and gaining access to Russian resources and technology. Both countries face heavy international sanctions, which makes their cooperation even more valuable to each side.