Lavrov praises stronger relations after visiting North Korea

 Lavrov praises stronger relations after visiting North Korea

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has Moscow's "complete support," according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

While in North Korea on business, Mr. Lavrov expressed gratitude for the nation's assistance to Ukraine.

His current journey paves the way for President Vladimir Putin's potential tour to the nation.

The US said last week that North Korea has started delivering sizable shipments of weapons to Russia for use in Ukraine.

Following Mr. Kim's two-day journey to Russia in September—his first travel outside of the country since the pandemic—where he met with Mr. Putin to explore "possibilities" for military cooperation, comes Mr. Lavrov's two-day trip.

Kim Jong Un extends his trip to Russia by a number of days.

Kim Jong Un displays missiles to Shoigu of Russia

The Hwasong intercity ballistic missile was among the newest weaponry shown to the Russian defense minister, who was in North Korea earlier in July.

Announcing Moscow's "complete support" for Mr. Kim at a formal ceremony on Wednesday, Mr. Lavrov also said that the US and its allies had started a "war against the Russian federation."

Without going into further detail, he said that he was there to talk about carrying out the agreements reached when Mr. Putin and Mr. Kim met last month.

It is unknown whether Mr. Lavrov will have a meeting with Mr. Kim during this visit, as he did on his last trip to Pyongyang in 2018.

However, Washington has issued a warning that any assistance from the North would contravene UN resolutions, claiming that Moscow was purchasing weaponry from Pyongyang for its conflict against Ukraine.

The transfer of ammunition and weaponry, according to US intelligence and data disclosed on Friday, had already begun.

In early September, 300 containers were delivered from the North Korean port of Nanjin to Dunay on the east coast of Russia, and then they were moved to a military storage facility close to Tikhoretsk, not far from the Ukrainian border, according to satellite pictures.

Due to their interoperability with Russian military systems, analysts have informed the BBC that Moscow might be interested in North Korean armaments.

Due of its ongoing war with the South, North Korea possesses a sizable arsenal. Technically, the two nations are still at war.

North Korea's economy is in a terrible position and lacks basic necessities like food and medication as a result of international sanctions and internal restrictions, which have just lately started to ease.

According to some observers, Mr. Kim would have requested relief for the plight of the homeless during the suspected weapons deal with Russia in September. Nevertheless, experts believe that given their relative paucity of resources, Pyongyang may be hesitant to send away too much ammo.

Both North Korea and Russia have promised to strengthen relations during the last six months as both nations have grown further apart from the rest of the world.