Kim Jong Un hails bonds with Moscow in New Years message to Vladimir Putin
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un sent a New Year’s message to Russian President Vladimir Putin, emphasizing the close ties between their countries and describing their alliance as one “formed by sharing blood, life, and death.”
Relations between Moscow and Pyongyang have strengthened since Putin’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, with North Korea reportedly sending thousands of troops to support Russian forces on the front lines.
In his letter, Kim wrote that North Korea and Russia’s relationship has been “further consolidated into the sincerest alliance of sharing blood, life and death in the same trench,” adding that the bond is “invincible” and will last forever, according to North Korea’s state-run KCNA news agency.
Russia has faced global isolation following the war in Ukraine and increasing pressure from U.S. and European sanctions. President Trump imposed 25% tariffs on India in August over its purchases of Russian oil and sanctioned major Russian energy companies. These measures have contributed to China and India reducing their oil imports from Russia.
Earlier, Putin sent Kim a New Year’s message praising North Korea’s “heroic” soldiers and describing the countries’ friendship as “invincible.”
Reports indicate that North Korea has deployed 12,000 soldiers to support Russian forces in the Kursk region and has pledged to send 30,000 more in July. According to CNN, more than 6,000 North Korean troops have died in the conflict so far.
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