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Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov expressed his gratitude to North Korea for their support of Russia’s military actions in Ukraine. He also pledged Moscow’s unwavering support and solidarity for North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during his visit to Pyongyang on Wednesday.
These meetings are seen as laying the groundwork for a potential visit by President Vladimir Putin, who has increased cooperation with North Korea, despite its political isolation.
The foreign ministers of Russia and North Korea celebrated the increasing cooperation between their nations during discussions held in Pyongyang on Thursday. This comes shortly after the United States accused North Korea of supplying munitions to Russia to enhance its military capabilities.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrived in Pyongyang on Wednesday for a two-day visit. Lavrov’s visit to the Asian nation on Wednesday, his first in four years, is anticipated to lay the groundwork for a potential trip to Pyongyang by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
It is worth noting that Putin recently hosted North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Moscow just a month ago.
During his visit, Lavrov is expected to provide the North Korean officials with information about Putin’s recent visit to China. This visit coincided with China hosting a major event, the third Belt and Road Initiative forum, which saw the participation of around 130 global leaders. Additionally, discussions are likely to center around the potential upcoming visit by Putin to North Korea, as reported by Russia’s state news agency.
In an official reception on Wednesday, Lavrov affirmed Moscow’s unwavering support for Kim and accused the United States and its allies of initiating a “war against the Russian Federation.” He also mentioned that he was in North Korea to discuss the implementation of agreements reached during the recent meeting between President Putin and Kim, without providing specific details. It remains uncertain whether Lavrov will have a meeting with Kim during his current visit, similar to his previous visit to Pyongyang in 2018.
However, the United States had previously issued a warning that Russia was purchasing weaponry from North Korea to support its actions in the conflict in Ukraine. The U.S. claimed that any assistance from North Korea in this regard would be a violation of United Nations resolutions.
On Friday, the U.S. released intelligence and evidence suggesting that the transfer of ammunition and artillery had already begun. Satellite images showed that around 300 containers had been transported from the North Korean port of Nanjing to Dunay on Russia’s eastern coast in early September. These containers were then moved to a military storage facility near Tikhoretsk, located close to the Ukrainian border.
Over the past year, the United States has alleged that North Korea supplied Russia with ammunition, artillery shells, and rockets, many of which are believed to be reproductions of Soviet-era munitions. North Korea has consistently denied these accusations, stating that it did not send arms to Russia. However, South Korean officials have claimed that North Korean weaponry supplied to Russia had already been employed in Ukraine.