Kremlin: Russia Can Provide Military Aid to North Korea Under Strategic Partnership
The Kremlin confirmed on Monday that Russia can provide military assistance to North Korea under the terms of the strategic partnership agreement signed between the two countries in late 2024. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists that both sides have committed to offering significant support to each other if necessary, in line with the agreement.
Peskov highlighted that the participation of North Korean soldiers in Russia’s efforts to retake the border region of Kursk demonstrated the strength of the new partnership. This marked the first official confirmation of Pyongyang’s involvement in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, which began in February 2022.
Peskov also reiterated Russia’s openness to resuming direct negotiations with Ukraine, although he noted that no concrete signals from Kyiv have been received. Additionally, he denied that any new talks were currently planned between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump but indicated that they could be arranged if needed.
On Saturday, Chief of the Russian General Staff Valery Gerasimov announced that Russia had retaken control of the Kursk region and expressed gratitude for the assistance of North Korean forces. However, Ukraine’s General Staff refuted these claims, stating that defensive operations continue and describing the situation in the region as “difficult.”
