Russia, North Korea deepen strategic partnership in Moscow

Top diplomats from Russia and North Korea met in Moscow this week, pledging to deepen their strategic partnership and jointly blaming the United States and its allies for escalating tensions in Northeast Asia. The meetings, which included a session between North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui and Russian President Vladimir Putin, underscored the rapidly consolidating alliance between the two nations.

Choe and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held the third round of their countries' strategic dialogue on Monday, July 20. According to readouts from both governments, the talks focused on implementing the comprehensive strategic partnership treaty signed by Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in June 2024. The two sides agreed that the primary cause of regional instability was what they termed the irresponsible conduct of the United States and its allies, specifically citing the expansion of provocative military activities around the Korean Peninsula. This language aligns with Pyongyang's longstanding objections to joint military exercises conducted by the United States and South Korea.

A key outcome was the mutual reaffirmation of support for each other's core...