Russia's top diplomat says secret channel between Putin and Kim Jong-un must continue

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Monday that it is important for the secret communications between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to continue.

According to TASS, Lavrov made the remarks during a meeting in Moscow with North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui, saying he wanted to note that the two leaders had attended the 80th anniversary Victory Day celebrations together in Beijing on Sept. 3 last year.

Lavrov also referenced the June 2024 summit between Putin and Kim in Pyongyang, saying "the decisions adopted by the two leaders are being consistently implemented."

He further referred to North Korean troops deployed to the Kursk front since October 2024, saying they "gave their lives helping to liberate Russian land from Ukrainian Nazis." He added that "the Russian people will never forget their courage and dedication."

Choe arrived in Russia on Saturday and met with Putin on Sunday. Putin thanked the North Korean leadership for the support its troops had provided in Russia's "special military operation" — its term for the war in Ukraine.

The visit marks Choe's first trip to Russia in about nine months, since last October. She traveled without an obvious trigger — such as a multilateral diplomatic event or a significant anniversary — fueling speculation that the visit may be laying the groundwork for a trip to Russia by Kim Jong-un himself.

The possibility of Kim visiting Russia has been consistently raised since Putin invited him for a return visit during their Pyongyang summit in June 2024.