Putin reaffirms friendship with North Korea before Trump’s discussions

Russian President Vladimir Putin reaffirmed his “friendship” with the North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, before his talks with Donald Trump on Friday.

It also occurs when the BBC has indicated that the condition “similar to slaves” facing thousands of North Korean workers sent to Russia to participate in construction projects.

Putin and Kim spoke on Tuesday, the Russian chief praising the military support of Pyongyang to the war of his country against Ukraine.

This week, Russia has made new military advances in Ukraine, which led to a sudden push near the eastern city of Dobropillia and increased by 10 km (six miles) in a short time.

Kim and Putin “reaffirmed their commitment to developing friendship, good humor and cooperation,” the Kremlin said in a statement.

Putin gave the North Korean leader an update on the preparation of the Alaska summit, sharing with him “information in the context of the upcoming talks with American president Donald Trump”, said the Kremlin.

The North Korean official declaration has not mentioned this.

Repeating his previous declaration, Putin “praised the aid provided by the support (from North Korea) during the release of the territory of the Kursk region”, according to his office.

The Ukrainian army briefly invaded the Kursk Russia region last year in an unexpected offensive which showed Western allies its ability to retaliate against Russia, which currently occupies around 20% of Ukrainian territories.

Putin and Kim spoke only a few days before the Russian chief went to Alaska to meet Trump, his first face -to -face meeting with an American president since the invasion of Russia on the scale of Ukraine in February 2022.

War, while provoking an almost complete economic and diplomatic insulation of the West Russia, has experienced an unprecedented collaboration between Moscow and Pyongyang. According to Ukraine and South Korea.

North Korea has also provided Russia missiles, artillery shells and workers.

With many men from Russia, killed or linked to the fighting – or having fled the country – South Korean intelligence officials have told the BBC that Moscow relies more and more on North Korean workers.