North Korea ready to help Russia resolve Ukraine crisis

According to RIA Novosti on July 13, at a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said that Pyongyang is ready to help Moscow in resolving the Ukraine crisis.

The North Korean leader and Russian Foreign Minister met on July 12, during Sergei Lavrov's visit to Pyongyang.

“Comrade Kim Jong-un once again expressed the DPRK’s readiness to continue to unconditionally support all measures that the Russian leader has been taking to fundamentally resolve the situation in Ukraine in accordance with the spirit of the inter-Korean treaty between the DPRK and Russia,” the North Korean news agency KCNA said on July 13.

Kim Jong-un stressed that North Korea and Russia share the same views on all strategic issues, “in accordance with the level of alliance relations.” This, he said, reflects the high level of strategic relations between the two countries.

During the meeting with Foreign Minister Lavrov, the North Korean leader also offered to extend warm greetings to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrived in North Korea on July 11. He held talks with the country's leadership, discussing bilateral relations, the situation on the Korean Peninsula, and the schedule of upcoming contacts.

In addition, the second round of strategic dialogue between Russia and North Korea took place.