Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told his North Korean counterpart that their countries were working to establish a "new and righteous world order," according to North Korea's KCNA news agency. In a message to North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui, Lavrov also reaffirmed Moscow's pledge to boost cooperation in all areas and contribute to regional and international security.
Lavrov's remarks come after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un reportedly sent an estimated 14,000 soldiers to Russia in late 2024 to assist Moscow in the Kursk region. Russian President Vladimir Putin declared victory in May 2025 and publicly thanked Pyongyang for its assistance.
Lavrov was quoted by KCNA as saying, "The participation of service personnel of the Korean People's Army in the operations to drive the Ukrainian Nazi clique and foreign mercenaries out of Kursk is a clear proof of the tradition of the militant friendship forged by the heroic preceding generations."
Since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russia has frequently characterized President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's government as "Nazis." Zelenskiy and his Western allies dismiss this characterization.
South Korea and Western countries are concerned that Pyongyang may be receiving assistance with weapons development from Moscow in return for its contributions in Ukraine. Earlier this month, Zelenskiy stated that up to 50,000 North Korean soldiers would be sent to Russia in a new deployment to increase military pressure on Ukraine. Pyongyang has also reportedly provided Russia with millions of artillery and mortar rounds, ballistic missiles, long-range artillery, and multiple-launch rocket systems.