Russian President Vladimir Putin phoned North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to brief him on his upcoming talks with U.S. President Donald Trump in Alaska, officials say.
During the call, Putin praised the bravery of North Korean troops helping repel a Ukrainian offensive in Russia’s Kursk region and reaffirmed their mutual strategic partnership under a treaty signed last year.
South Korean intelligence estimates that over 10,000 North Korean soldiers have already been deployed to aid Russia, with further deployments reportedly underway.
Kim pledged full support for all future Russian measures.