Kim Jong Un pledges to deepen cooperation with Russia, backs 'sacred war' against Ukraine
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un sent Vladimir Putin a message pledging to expand and deepen cooperation with Russia across all areas and expressing confidence in Russia's victory in what he called a "sacred war." The message, sent on Monday via the state news agency KCNA, was a response to Putin's congratulatory letter on North Korea's 78th founding anniversary.
Key points
- Kim Jong Un sent Vladimir Putin a message on Monday pledging to expand cooperation with Russia in all areas.
- The message responded to Putin's congratulations on North Korea's 78th founding anniversary, marked on September 9.
- Kim expressed confidence in Russia's victory in what he described as a "sacred war" — a formulation Reuters linked to Russia's war against Ukraine.
- Kim said relations with Moscow should be built on friendship, mutual assistance, and allied ties, and promised his "unchanging support."
- Kim sent a similar message to Xi Jinping, published by KCNA on Sunday, pledging to advance the common socialist cause with China.
- In 2024, North Korea sent military personnel to fight alongside Russian forces, and the two countries have deepened military cooperation under a mutual defense treaty.
Why it matters
The message is a high-level public endorsement by North Korea of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine. Coming after the reported deployment of North Korean troops to fight alongside Russian forces, it signals continued political backing from Pyongyang and underlines the deepening military and political alignment between the two countries.
What happened
On Monday, Kim Jong Un sent a message to Vladimir Putin via the state news agency KCNA, responding to Putin's congratulatory letter on North Korea's 78th founding anniversary on September 9. Kim said he intends to expand and deepen cooperation with Russia in all areas and that relations should be built on friendship, mutual assistance, and allied ties. He expressed confidence in Russia's victory in what he called a "sacred war" to defend the country's security interests and international justice — a formulation Reuters linked to Russia's war against Ukraine — and promised Putin and the Russian people his "unchanging support." Kim also sent a similar message to Xi Jinping, published by KCNA on Sunday, pledging to work with China on traditional friendship and the common socialist cause.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian media frame Kim's pledge of "unchanging support" and his use of the "sacred war" formulation as a direct political endorsement of Russia's war against Ukraine, reinforcing Kyiv's longstanding concern over North Korea's military involvement on the Russian side.
Background
North Korea marked its 78th founding anniversary on September 9, prompting congratulatory letters from both Putin and Xi Jinping. In 2024, North Korea sent military personnel to participate in combat operations on the side of Russian forces, and the two countries have since deepened military and political cooperation under a mutual defense treaty. Earlier in June, Xi Jinping made his first visit to North Korea in seven years, while a potential Beijing meeting between Xi, Putin, and Kim on September 3 during a military parade was discussed as a possible signal of a new China–Russia–DPRK axis. SCO member states also adopted the Tianjin Declaration, containing theses on non-interference, non-use of force, and rejection of unilateral sanctions.