Message from Lavrov to Pyongyang: Russia and North Korea are working for a 'new and fair world order'

In a message sent to North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov emphasized the need to strengthen cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang.

In his message, Lavrov stated that the two countries continue to work toward establishing a "new and fair world order based on true equality and national interests." The Russian minister reiterated Moscow's commitment to increasing cooperation with Pyongyang in all areas and contributing to regional and international security.

Lavrov's message also included notable remarks regarding North Korean soldiers in the context of the Russia-Ukraine war. Lavrov described the participation of Korean Army personnel in operations in the Kursk region as proof of the tradition of "militant friendship" between the two countries.

The participation of Korean Army personnel in operations to expel Ukrainian soldiers and foreign mercenaries from Kursk is clear proof of the tradition of militant friendship established by heroic previous generations.

ALLEGATIONS OF SENDING TROOPS

It is estimated that North Korea sent approximately 14 thousand soldiers to Russia in late 2024 to prevent a large-scale Ukrainian attack on Russia's Kursk region.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in a statement made earlier this month, had said that as many as 50 thousand North Korean soldiers would be sent to Russia. Lavrov's latest message comes at a time when the military and diplomatic dimensions of Moscow-Pyongyang relations are back on the agenda.

Russia and North Korea have recently been increasing their joint rhetoric against the Western-led international order, while also sending messages to strengthen their contacts in the fields of security and defense. Lavrov's statement is being evaluated as a new move showing that this line is being officially maintained by Moscow.