Putin may visit North Korea soon, Pyongyang says

A North Korean official said Sunday that Russian President Vladimir Putin may visit North Korea “early.”

North Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs made this announcement in a statement published by state media. Korean Central News Agency On Sunday, President Putin said he intended to visit North Korea “as soon as possible” and expressed his “deep gratitude” to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un for extending his invitation. The statement was issued after North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui met with President Vladimir Putin and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow last week.

The statement said the government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) “warmly welcomes” President Putin's visit to Pyongyang. The Associated Press noted that President Putin had expressed interest in visiting Pyongyang at a convenient time in September.

According to the statement, Russian and North Korean officials expressed “a strong will to further strengthen strategic and tactical cooperation to protect the core interests of both countries.”

Officials also said they recognized that the “friendly and cooperative relationship” between the two countries “serves as a strong strategic fortress and pulling force in safeguarding international peace and security.”

Officials from both Russia and North Korea “expressed grave concern about the negative impact of the irresponsible and unwarranted provocations of the United States and its allies,” the statement said. Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, North Korea's Kim has openly supported Russia's invasion of the country.

The statement said Russian officials “expressed their deep gratitude to North Korea” for Russia's support for the war in Ukraine. This comes as Russia and North Korea face global condemnation over alleged mutual arms cooperation, which both countries deny, according to the Associated Press.

The Associated Press contributed reporting.