Putin Invites Kim Jong-un to Russia Amid Deepening Military Cooperation

Seoul, Sept 2025 : Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday extended a fresh invitation to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to visit Russia, underscoring growing military and strategic ties between the two nations. The two leaders met at the Diaoyutai State Guest House in Beijing after attending a military parade at Tiananmen Square commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.

According to Russia’s Tass news agency, as Putin escorted Kim to his car after their talks, Kim said, “See you soon.” Putin responded warmly, assuring him, “I will be waiting. Please come.”

Kim has already visited Russia twice, in 2019 and 2023, for high-level talks with Putin. Their latest meeting highlighted the strengthening partnership forged under a strategic cooperation treaty signed in June 2024, which includes a mutual defense pact pledging immediate military assistance in the event of armed aggression against either nation.

During the discussions, Kim expressed gratitude to Putin for recognizing the role of North Korean troops deployed to support Russia’s war in Ukraine. Putin praised them for fighting “bravely and heroically” in the front-line region of Kursk.

“I will never forget the sacrifices of North Korean soldiers,” Putin reportedly told Kim. In response, Kim reaffirmed Pyongyang’s stance that helping Russia was not just a matter of politics but a “brotherly duty.” He vowed to do “everything possible” to assist Moscow in its conflict with Kyiv.

Since October 2024, North Korea has dispatched an estimated 13,000 troops, along with conventional weapons, to bolster Russia’s war efforts in Ukraine, marking one of the most significant foreign military contributions to Moscow since the invasion began.

The meeting also reinforced the perception of expanding North Korea-Russia cooperation across multiple domains, including defense, energy, and economic exchanges. Analysts view this growing alignment as part of a broader strategy by both nations to counter Western pressure and sanctions.

As the war in Ukraine continues, the Moscow-Pyongyang partnership appears poised to deepen further, with Kim signaling his readiness to stand firmly by Russia’s side, both politically and militarily.