Putin Hosts North Korea’s Foreign Minister; Ties Deepen

Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui at the Kremlin on Oct. 27, saying Moscow–Pyongyang ties were developing “as planned” and asking her to convey his best wishes to leader Kim Jong Un. Choe passed on Kim’s “warm wishes,” hailed a “spiritual closeness” and held talks with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, with both sides blaming the United States and its allies for rising regional tensions. The visit underscores deepening military cooperation: Pyongyang has supplied Russia with artillery, missiles and reportedly thousands of troops — about 11,000 last year — and the two countries have signed a mutual defense pact. Moscow is pressing to bolster its forces amid heavy losses in Ukraine, exploring reservists and foreign fighters, while Russian units press into parts of eastern Ukraine including Pokrovsk. Choe’s trip, which also includes Belarus, follows recent meetings between Kim and Putin in Beijing and is part of a flurry of regional diplomatic exchanges.