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A Meeting With No Obvious Reason
Russian President Vladimir Putin met with North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui at the Kremlin on Sunday, Russian state media reported — a visit that came without a multilateral summit, state anniversary, or any publicly announced occasion. That absence of explanation is itself the headline. AP reported that the unscheduled nature of Choe’s trip has raised pointed speculation that she is coordinating a possible visit to Russia by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un himself.
North Korean state media confirmed Choe departed for Russia at the invitation of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, but offered no detail on the substance of discussions or whether a Kim-Putin summit is in the works. Lavrov and Choe also held separate bilateral talks Monday, at which Russia expressed “full support” for North Korea’s efforts to protect its sovereignty and security, while North Korea reaffirmed its backing for Russia’s war against Ukraine, according to North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency.
Putin Thanks Pyongyang, Again
Russia’s Tass news agency quoted Putin as praising bilateral relations and reiterating his “gratitude to the North Korean leadership and people” for supporting his military operations against Ukraine. Choe, in turn, told Putin that Kim remains committed to the “comprehensive development” of relations with Russia. That language — “comprehensive development” — is North Korean diplomatic code for deepening the full-spectrum partnership signed during Kim and Putin’s June 2024 Pyongyang summit, which included a mutual-defense pledge if either country faces aggression.
Kim has traveled to Russia’s Far East twice for summits with Putin — in 2019 and again in 2023. Putin invited Kim to visit Russia again during the 2024 Pyongyang meeting. That invitation remains open. South Korea’s Unification Ministry said Tuesday it was “closely monitoring” the Kremlin meetings but declined to assess whether a third Kim-Putin summit was being arranged, AP reported.
Why This Matters Now
North Korea has provided Russia with artillery shells, ballistic missiles, and — according to Western intelligence assessments — thousands of troops to fight in Ukraine. That relationship has deepened at every point of pressure in the Ukraine war. An unannounced foreign minister visit to the Kremlin, with Putin personally receiving her, suggests the two sides have something specific to finalize or coordinate — beyond the routine statements of solidarity. Whether it’s a new arms package, a summit announcement, or something the cameras aren’t meant to see, neither Moscow nor Pyongyang is saying. That silence tends to speak clearly enough.
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