Pyongyang: The President of North Korea, Kim Jong Un, has expressed his full support for Russia during a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, as North Korea's state media reported on Wednesday.
According to Kuwait News Agency, the two presidents held talks during a phone call on Tuesday. This is the first time Pyongyang has disclosed details of a phone call between its leader and a foreign head of state, as reported by the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
The conversation occurred ahead of Putin's planned summit with US President Donald Trump in Alaska on Friday. During the call, Putin congratulated Kim on the upcoming 80th anniversary of Korea's liberation from Japanese colonial rule on August 15, the KCNA reported.
Kim expressed a firm conviction that North Korea would remain faithful to the spirit of the DPRK-Russia treaty and fully support all measures to be taken by the Russian leadership in the future, as reported by the KCNA. The treaty, signed in June 2024, includes a mutual defense clause requiring military assistance without delay if either side comes under attack.
Putin acknowledged the bravery and heroism of Korean People's Army personnel in operations to liberate Kursk, part of Russian territory, according to KCNA. North Korea has deployed troops and provided weapons to support Russia's war effort in Ukraine.
Both leaders reviewed progress in bilateral cooperation following the signing of the comprehensive strategic partnership treaty and agreed to further strengthen coordination, KCNA added.
Putin has recently held phone talks with leaders of other nations, including China, India, South Africa, and Brazil, ahead of his Alaska meeting with Trump.