Kim Jong Un pledges deeper ties and hails Russian "sacred war" in Putin letter

The diplomatic message came in response to Putin's congratulations marking the 78th anniversary of North Korea's founding, the publication wrote. Kim emphasized that Pyongyang seeks to "comprehensively" expand and deepen strategic cooperation with Moscow.

According to the North Korean dictator, bilateral relations between the two regimes should continue to evolve on the foundation of friendship, mutual assistance, and formal allied commitments.

Kim explicitly voiced confidence in Russia’s "victory" in what he described in his letter as a "sacred war" — a phrase Reuters noted was an apparent reference to Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Kim further assured Putin and the Russian populace of Pyongyang's "unwavering support."

Russia and North Korea have substantially intensified their military and geopolitical alignment over recent years, with Moscow and Pyongyang openly touting allied ties and expanding mutual defense integration.

A day earlier, Kim also dispatched an official message to Chinese leader Xi Jinping, declaring North Korea’s readiness to advance traditional relations with Beijing and maintain close bilateral cooperation.