North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has reaffirmed his country’s full support for Russia’s stance on the war in Ukraine and other key global issues, according to a statement from state media released Thursday. The declaration follows a high-level meeting on Wednesday in Pyongyang with Sergei Shoigu, Secretary of the Russian Security Council.

The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that Kim committed to backing Moscow’s foreign policy agenda without reservation. “Kim Jong Un affirmed that the government of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea will, in the future, too, unconditionally support the stand of Russia and its foreign policies,” the agency stated.

The meeting is the latest sign of deepening ties between North Korea and Russia, following the signing of a sweeping bilateral treaty during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s state visit to Pyongyang last year. That treaty includes a mutual defense clause, obligating each nation to provide immediate military support should the other come under armed attack.

KCNA noted that Kim expressed North Korea’s intent to “responsibly observe” the terms of the agreement, and discussed with Shoigu the expansion of strategic cooperation in multiple sectors.

The strengthening alliance between Moscow and Pyongyang has raised alarms among Western nations, particularly amid concerns over potential military collaboration. Both countries face growing international isolation—Russia due to its invasion of Ukraine, and North Korea due to its ongoing weapons programs and sanctions violations.

As geopolitical tensions rise and traditional alliances shift, the partnership between North Korea and Russia is increasingly viewed as a symbol of mutual resistance to Western pressure—and a significant factor in the evolving global security landscape.