Russia's Victory Day: North Korea's Kim vows to 'consolidate' ties with Moscow

By Saadet Gokce

ISTANBUL (AA) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un pledged to further strengthen ties with Russia during a speech on Thursday commemorating Russia's Victory Day, which marks the former Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.

Kim, speaking at the Russian Embassy in Pyongyang, reaffirmed North Korea's commitment to "steadily consolidate and develop the long tradition of N.Korea-Russia relations, the noble ideological foundation, and the invincible alliance," according to the state-run Korean Central News Agency.

Victory Day, observed annually on May 9 in Russia and other countries, including several former Soviet republics, commemorates the Soviet victory in what is known as the Great Patriotic War.

Kim's actions highlight "the strong will to actively promote the sovereignty and dignity of the two countries, the peace and happiness of the people and the regional peace and security with the might of N.Korea-Russia friendship which has developed into the relations of genuine comrades-in-arms and the strategic relations of eternal value in the new era," said Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui.

The Russian ambassador to Pyongyang on Thursday expressed President Vladimir Putin's appreciation for the "bravery, self-sacrificing spirit, and fighting efficiency" of the North Korean soldiers deployed to Russia, thanking both the people and their leader, Kim Jong-un.

Last month, North Korea confirmed for the first time that it had sent troops to Russia under a mutual defense treaty to support Moscow amid the Russia-Ukraine war.