North Korea's Choe Son Hui To Arrive In Moscow For Talks With Lavrov On July 18

According to Lianhe Zaobao citing AFP, North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui is scheduled to arrive in Moscow on Saturday, July 18, for talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. The Russian Foreign Ministry said Choe will make an official visit to the Russian Federation at Lavrov's invitation. Lianhe Zaobao said ties between Pyongyang and Moscow have deepened since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The two countries signed a defense agreement during Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to Pyongyang in 2024. North Korea has supplied Russia with missiles and ammunition and sent thousands of troops to support its military operation in Ukraine, while Moscow has provided financial aid, military technology, food and energy, according to analysts. In April, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un pledged support for Russia's “sacred” war, and Choe backed Russia's war against Ukraine. Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov and other senior officials visited Pyongyang in April for talks on strengthening military ties, and Belousov said Moscow was ready to sign a cooperation plan for 2027 to 2031.