North Korea, Russia foreign ministers hold talks

North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov held their third strategic dialogue in Moscow on Monday, North Korean state media KCNA confirmed on Tuesday.



The two sides "reached a consensus on all the issues brought up for discussion", the report said, with talks focusing on implementing their comprehensive strategic partnership treaty signed in June 2024.



Russia expressed full support for North Korean measures to counter what KCNA described as hostile acts threatening its position and right to development, as well as its sovereign rights and security interests.



North Korea expressed “invariable support” for Russian policies aimed at eliminating what it called the "root cause" of the conflict in Ukraine and defending Russia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.



Russia calls its 2022 invasion of Ukraine a response to NATO expansion and threats to Russian speakers, claims rejected by Kyiv and its allies as pretexts for an unprovoked war.