Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov Visits North Korea

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov visited North Korea on Wednesday, just days after the US said Pyongyang had transferred munitions to Russia for its ongoing war in Ukraine. Russian state television ran footage of crowds greeting Lavrov in the pouring rain in Pyongyang alongside a welcoming party waving pom poms.

Earlier Meeting with Putin

Earlier in the week, Lavrov accompanied Russian President Vladimir Putin on a visit to Beijing that underscored Chinese support for Moscow's war in Ukraine. Shortly after arriving in Pyongyang, Lavrov said his visit was an opportunity to discuss implementing the agreements that Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un had signed when they met at Russia's Vostochny Cosmodrome in September.

Russia-North Korea Relations

Lavrov hailed Putin's meeting with Kim as "historic," saying their talks demonstrated the countries' "deep interest in the development of comprehensive cooperation". He noted that Russia highly appreciates North Korea's "principled, unequivocal support for Russia's actions" in Ukraine.

US Concerns

The White House said on Friday that North Korea has delivered more than 1,000 containers of military equipment and munitions to Russia. White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the US believes Kim is seeking sophisticated Russian weapons technologies in return for the munitions to boost North Korea's military and nuclear program.

High-Level Visits

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu visited North Korea in July, and Kim traveled to Russia in September. During his two-day visit, Lavrov is expected to meet with North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui. Putin had also accepted an invitation from Kim to visit North Korea, but the timing has not been announced.

Lavrov's visit to North Korea comes at a time of heightened tensions between Russia and the West over the war in Ukraine. The visit is likely to further strengthen ties between the two countries and could potentially lead to increased cooperation in the military and nuclear fields.