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Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed gratitude to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea for its friendship and support, affirming Russia's commitment to assisting Pyongyang in its pursuit of independence and national identity.
Putin is slated to visit North Korea on Tuesday, marking his first visit since 2000. Prior to his arrival, the Russian president penned an article published in the leading DPRK daily, Rodong Sinmun.
In his article, Putin emphasized Russia's steadfast support for the DPRK and its people in their struggle against what he described as a deceitful, perilous, and aggressive adversary, advocating for their right to determine their own development path freely.
Putin acknowledged North Korea's unwavering support during Russia's military operations in Ukraine, praising their international solidarity and mutual defense of shared priorities at the UN.
The Russian leader characterized Pyongyang as a committed and like-minded ally, prepared to challenge the West's ambitions and advocate for a multipolar world order based on justice, sovereignty, and mutual respect.
Putin critiqued the US-led "rules-based order," labeling it a form of global neo-colonialism reliant on double standards. He contrasted North Korea's repeated calls for peaceful resolution of differences with what he depicted as the US's failure to honor past agreements and imposition of increasingly unreasonable demands.
Putin commended North Koreans for effectively defending their interests despite enduring years of economic pressure, provocations, blackmail, and military threats from the US.
Accompanying Putin on his upcoming trip to North Korea are key figures from Russia's government and industry, including Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov, Defense Minister Andrey Belousov, Health Minister Mikhail Murashko, Transport Minister Roman Starovoyt, Roscosmos chief Yuri Borisov, and Russian Railway head Oleg Belozyorov, as announced by the Kremlin.
