Putin Engages North Korean Foreign Minister in Diplomatic Talks

WHO:

NPR - Russian President Vladimir Putin met with North Korea's Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui.

AP - Yoon Min Ho is the spokesperson for South Korea's Unification Ministry.

WHAT:

NPR - Putin thanked Pyongyang for supporting his war against Ukraine during the meeting.

AP - Choe told Putin that Kim Jong Un remains committed to the "comprehensive development" of relations with Russia.

AP - Putin invited Kim to visit Russia again during their summit in Pyongyang in June 2024.

WHERE:

NPR - The meeting took place at the Kremlin in Russia.

AP - Choe Son Hui departed for Russia from North Korea.

WHEN:

AP - Choe departed for Russia on a Saturday.

AP - Kim traveled to Russia's Far East for summits with Putin in 2019 and 2023.

AP - The summit in Pyongyang where Putin invited Kim occurred in June 2024.

WHY:

NPR - The visit raised speculation that Choe may be coordinating a possible visit to Russia by Kim Jong Un.

AP - Kim has made Russia a priority in his foreign policy, sending troops and weapons to support Putin's war in Ukraine.

HOW:

NPR - Choe's visit was at the invitation of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

AP - North Korea and China exchanged high-level visits prior to Choe's visit, including meetings between Pak Thae Song and Xi Jinping, and Wang Huning and Kim.

(UPDATED July 20, 2026 19:29 UTC)

In a significant meeting at the Kremlin, Russian President Vladimir Putin thanked North Korea's Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui for her country's support in his war against Ukraine, while Choe conveyed Kim Jong Un's commitment to strengthening ties with Russia. Putin also extended an invitation for Kim to visit Russia again during a summit scheduled for June 2024 in Pyongyang. Choe's visit, which was at the invitation of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, follows a series of high-level exchanges between North Korea and China.