Russia’s Lavrov meets North Korea’s Kim, praises ties as ‘invincible brotherhood’
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Russia’s Lavrov meets North Korea’s Kim, praises ties as ‘invincible brotherhood’
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Wonsan. He described the two nations’ relations as “an invincible fighting brotherhood” Lavrov also thanked North Korea for the troops it had sent to Russia. The visit is the latest high-level meeting between the two countries as they upgrade their strategic cooperation to now include a mutual defence pact. The South Korean intelligence service has said North Korea may be preparing to deploy more troops in July or August, after sending more than 10,000 soldiers to fight alongside Russia in the war against Ukraine. North Korea has agreed to dispatch 6,000 military engineers and builders for reconstruction in Russia’s Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces launched a mass cross-border incursion nearly a year ago.
Item 1 of 3 Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui attend a signing ceremony in Wonsan, North Korea July 12, 2025. Russian Foreign Ministry/Handout via REUTERS
Summary Lavrov describes Russia-North Korea ties as ‘invincible fighting brotherhood’
North Korea supports Russia’s military actions in Ukraine, sends troops and munitions
Lavrov’s visit includes talks on mutual defence pact and strategic cooperation
SEOUL, July 12 (Reuters) – Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in the coastal city of Wonsan on Saturday, where he described the two nations’ relations as “an invincible fighting brotherhood”, Russia’s foreign ministry said.
The ministry quoted Lavrov as saying that the visit represented the continuation of “strategic dialogue” between the two sides inaugurated by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to North Korea last year.
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In a message passed on by Lavrov, Putin said that he hoped for more direct contacts in future, TASS news agency reported.
Lavrov, the ministry said, also thanked North Korea for the troops it had sent to Russia.
Relations between the two countries deepened during the conflict in Ukraine. Thousands of North Korean troops were deployed during the months-long campaign to oust Ukrainian forces from Russia’s Kursk region, while Pyongyang has also supplied Russia with munitions.
Lavrov also met with his North Korean counterpart, Choe Son Hui, TASS reported.
Lavrov arrived in Wonsan on Friday from Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur following the ASEAN foreign ministers’ meeting . Home to a newly opened seaside resort , Wonsan is also known for its missile and naval facilities.
Lavrov’s visit is the latest high-level meeting between the two countries as they upgrade their strategic cooperation to now include a mutual defence pact.
“We exchanged views on the situation surrounding the Ukrainian crisis … Our Korean friends confirmed their firm support for all the objectives of the special military operation, as well as for the actions of the Russian leadership and armed forces,” TASS quoted Lavrov as saying.
It also quoted his deputy Andrei Rudenko as saying more high-level delegations would visit North Korea later this year.
The South Korean intelligence service has said North Korea may be preparing to deploy more troops in July or August, after sending more than 10,000 soldiers to fight alongside Russia in the war against Ukraine
North Korea has agreed to dispatch 6,000 military engineers and builders for reconstruction in Russia’s Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces launched a mass cross-border incursion nearly a year ago.
Russian news agencies said after North Korea, Lavrov was due to travel to China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meeting, scheduled for Monday and Tuesday.
TASS said the new Wonsan coastal resort could boost Russian tourism to North Korea, citing the resumption of direct trains from Moscow to Pyongyang and a project to build a bridge across the Tumen River forming part of the boundary between North Korea, China and Russia.
Reporting by Heekyong Yang, Jack Kim in Seoul and Felix Light in Tbilisi; Additional reporting by Ron Popeski; Editing by Rod Nickel, Chris Reese, Tom Hogue and Tomasz Janowski
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Russia’s Lavrov meets North Korea’s Kim, praises ties as ‘invincible brotherhood’
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Wonsan on Saturday. Lavrov described the two nations’ relations as “an invincible fighting brotherhood” He also thanked North Korea for the troops it had sent to Russia during the conflict in Ukraine.
The ministry quoted Lavrov as saying that the visit represented the continuation of “strategic dialogue” between the two sides inaugurated by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to North Korea last year.
In a message passed on by Lavrov, Putin said that he hoped for more direct contacts in future, TASS news agency reported.
Lavrov, the ministry said, also thanked North Korea for the troops it had sent to Russia.
Relations between the two countries deepened during the conflict in Ukraine. Thousands of North Korean troops were deployed during the months-long campaign to oust Ukrainian forces from Russia’s Kursk region, while Pyongyang has also supplied Russia with munitions.
Lavrov also met with his North Korean counterpart, Choe Son Hui, TASS reported.
Lavrov arrived in Wonsan on Friday from Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur following the ASEAN foreign ministers’ meeting. Home to a newly opened seaside resort, Wonsan is also known for its missile and naval facilities.
China hopes EU will ‘make fewer accusations’ on market access
China hopes the EU would make fewer accusations, the Chinese commerce ministry said on Thursday. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said China had flooded global markets with its overcapacity, limited access to its market, and de-facto enabled Russia’s war economy. China-EU summit expected to take place in Beijing in late July. China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi told the EU’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas he hoped the EU had a more objective and rational understanding of China.
BEIJING, July 10 (Reuters) – China hopes the European Union would make fewer accusations, the Chinese commerce ministry said on Thursday in a retort to EU criticism that European firms had limited access to the Chinese market.
Setting the tone for an expected China-EU summit in Beijing in late July, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen , opens new tab earlier this week said China had flooded global markets with its overcapacity, limited access to its market, and de-facto enabled Russia’s war economy.
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China hopes the EU would “make fewer accusations and communicate more, be less protectionist, and be more open,” He Yongqian, a spokeswoman for the Chinese commerce ministry, said at a regular press conference.
China hopes the EU would view their economic and trade relationship “without emotion and prejudice”, He said.
In an address to the European Parliament on Tuesday, Von der Leyen praised China for expanding its economy by more than 10 times over 50 years, lifting 800 million of its people out of poverty, and transforming itself into an industrial giant and clean tech leaders.
“But our relations with China must be rooted in a clear-eyed assessment of this new reality,” she said.
Von der Leyen said China had “unique instruments at its disposal” that allowed it to flood global markets with subsidised overcapacity not just to boost its own industries, but to choke international competition.
She also said China’s “unyielding” support for Russia had created heightened instability and insecurity here in Europe, becoming a de-facto enabler of Russia’s economy as the war between Moscow and Kyiv persisted.
Her criticism of China followed a visit to Brussels by China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who told the EU’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas that he hoped the EU would develop a more objective and rational understanding of China and adopt a more positive and practical policy toward China.
Reporting by Ryan Woo; Editing by Christian Schmollinger
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Trump asks Liberian president where he learned English, his country’s official language
President Donald Trump was basking in the praise of a group of African leaders. English is Liberia’s official language, though multiple Indigenous languages are spoken there. Trump was impressed and inquired where Boakai got his language skills. “Where did you learn to speak so beautifully?” Trump asked. “Yes sir,”Boakai said. “I have people at this table who can’t speak nearly as well”
“Liberia is a longtime friend of the United States and we believe in your policy of making America great again,” President Joseph Boakai said at a White House meeting before advocating for U.S. investment in his country. “We just want to thank you so much for this opportunity.”
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Trump was impressed and inquired where Boakai got his language skills.
“Such good English,” Trump said. “Where did you learn to speak so beautifully?”
Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, Guinea-Bissau’s President Umaro Sissoco, Mauritania’s President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, Liberian President Joseph Boakai and Gabon’s President Brice Oligui Nguema attend a lunch for African representatives of Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania, and Senegal hosted by U.S. President… Purchase Licensing Rights , opens new tab Read more
Boakai seemed to chuckle.
“In Liberia?” Trump asked. “Yes sir,” Boakai said.
“That’s very interesting,” Trump said. “I have people at this table who can’t speak nearly as well.”
Liberia was founded in 1822 as a colony for free Black Americans, the brainchild of white Americans trying to address what they saw as a problem – the future for Black people in the United States once slavery ended. English is Liberia’s official language, though multiple Indigenous languages are spoken there as well.
Reporting by Jeff Mason Editing by Rod Nickel
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Vietnam to introduce measures to cope with US tariffs, trade official says
Vietnam will devise measures to improve product quality to cope with potential risks from U.S. tariffs. The Southeast Asian country reached an agreement with the Trump administration that saw a 20% tariff slapped on its products. Vietnam’s gross domestic product grew 7.96% in the second quarter, but it remains short of the country’s full-year growth target of at least 8%.
HANOI, July 9 (Reuters) – Vietnam will devise measures to improve product quality to cope with potential risks from U.S. tariffs, as it seeks to expand exports to other markets and reduce its reliance on the United States, the country’s deputy trade minister said on Wednesday.
The Ministry of Industry and Trade is coordinating with firms to work on the measures, Phan Thi Thang told an investment conference in Hanoi.
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The Southeast Asian country reached an agreement with the Trump administration that saw a 20% tariff slapped on its products and a 40% levy on transhipments through Vietnam from third countries.
Thang said the tariffs offer a chance for Vietnam to improve its product quality and diversify its export markets, with a focus on markets it has free trade agreements with.
“With 16 free trade agreements, Vietnam is expanding its export markets to reduce its reliance on the United States market,” she said.
Vietnam’s gross domestic product grew 7.96% in the second quarter , up from 6.93% in the first quarter, but it remains short of the country’s full-year growth target of at least 8%.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said at a separate meeting on Wednesday that reaching that target is a “big challenge.”
Reporting by PKhanh Vu and huong Nguyen; Editing by Martin Petty and David Stanway
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