A senior North Korean diplomat has reaffirmed the country’s intention to strengthen bilateral ties with Russia on the anniversary of the April 2019 Kim‑Putin summit, according to statements passed via state media and reported by Russian and international outlets on 25 April 2026. The diplomat, speaking in Pyongyang, described relations with Moscow as a “strategic anchor” for North Korea and pledged deeper cooperation in political, economic and security fields, reiterating language used in the 2019 joint declaration and later the 2024 Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the Russian Federation. The remarks came as both countries mark the 7th anniversary of the first summit between Kim Jong‑un and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Vladivostok, which set the stage for the current alliance framework.
North Korea’s Foreign Ministry and state news agency KCNA have highlighted the 2019 summit as a key turning point in bilateral relations, noting that subsequent high‑level meetings and agreements have reinforced what Pyongyang terms a “comprehensive strategic partnership.” The senior diplomat said that this partnership would continue to evolve according to “mutual interests and the changing international situation,” including in trade, energy and what KCNA described as “mutual security support.” The statement also echoed recent North Korean rhetoric from Kim Jong‑un’s New Year 2026 address, in which he praised an “invincible alliance” with Moscow and referred to Russia as a “first‑priority” partner.
The reaffirmation of closer Russia ties comes amid ongoing Western sanctions and heightened scrutiny of North Korea’s military‑technical cooperation with Moscow, including reports of North Korean troop deployments supporting Russian operations in Ukraine and exchanges of weapons and technology. Russia has described the partnership as a normal response to “unilateral pressure” from the United States and its allies, while North Korea has consistently framed its moves as a matter of sovereign choice and self‑defense.