Russian President Vladimir Putin met with North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui at the Kremlin in Moscow on Sunday, July 19, 2026. The visit, which occurred without a specific multilateral event or state anniversary, has fueled speculation that the meeting could be a precursor to a potential visit to Russia by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
According to North Korean state media, Choe departed for Russia on Saturday at the invitation of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, though officials have not yet disclosed the specific agenda of the trip. The Russian news agency Tass reported that during the Kremlin meeting, Putin expressed appreciation for the bilateral relationship, reiterating his gratitude to the North Korean leadership and people for their support of Russia's military operations in Ukraine. In response, Choe conveyed Kim's ongoing commitment to the comprehensive development of ties between the two nations.
The diplomatic engagement follows a history of high-level interaction between the leaders, including summits in 2019 and 2023 in Russia's Far East. During a June 2024 summit in Pyongyang, Putin extended an invitation for Kim to return to Russia. The two leaders previously signed a strategic partnership agreement, which includes a pledge of mutual assistance in the event of aggression against either country.
In recent years, Kim has prioritized relations with Moscow, reportedly providing thousands of troops and significant weapon supplies to assist in the war in Ukraine. Experts suggest these contributions may be exchanged for economic aid and technology transfers designed to bolster North Korea's military capabilities. Simultaneously, Pyongyang has sought to strengthen ties with China, highlighted by recent high-level exchanges, including a visit to Beijing by Cabinet premier Pak Thae Song and a visit to Pyongyang by Chinese Politburo Standing Committee member Wang Huning.
Kim continues to align North Korea within a perceived "new Cold War" front against Washington. Since the 2019 collapse of nuclear diplomacy with U.S. President Donald Trump, Kim has suspended dialogue with the United States and South Korea. He has utilized the conflict in Ukraine as a strategic distraction to accelerate his nuclear and missile programs, while consistently demanding that the U.S. abandon its calls for nuclear disarmament as a prerequisite for future negotiations.
