America’s foreign adversaries are hard at work to destroy the country. They won’t rest until this is accomplished.
And two leaders of these enemy nations were caught scheming behind Trump’s back.
North Korea and Russia Deepen Alliance Amid Global Spotlight
In a significant development, North Korea’s state media, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), revealed on Wednesday that Kim Jong-un, the nation’s leader, held a pivotal phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday. This exchange, also confirmed by the Kremlin, came just days before Putin’s high-stakes meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in Anchorage, Alaska, on Friday—the first since Trump’s re-election in November 2024.
The dialogue between Kim and Putin was marked by mutual respect and warmth, with both leaders exchanging greetings and reflecting on shared history. KCNA highlighted the anniversary of Korea’s liberation from Japanese rule, with Kim expressing appreciation for the Soviet Union’s role in defeating Imperial Japan during World War II.
“The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un and Comrade Vladimir Putin exchanged welcome greetings with each other and had a conversation in a warm comradely atmosphere,” KCNA said.
A central topic was North Korea’s military support for Russia’s ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Following the June 2024 defense pact, inked during Putin’s first visit to North Korea in 20 years, Pyongyang deployed troops to aid Russia in regions like Kursk, where Ukraine launched a counter-offensive in August.
KCNA emphasized that North Korean forces have operated only in Russian border areas, not on Ukrainian soil. “The Russian president highly appreciated once again the support provided by the DPRK,” KCNA stated, commending “the bravery, heroism and self-sacrificing spirit displayed by service personnel of the Korean People’s Army in liberating Kursk, a part of Russian territory.”
The Kremlin’s account aligned closely, with Putin praising the “courage, heroism, and selflessness displayed by the DPRK soldiers” in Kursk. Notably, the Kremlin added that Putin shared details about his upcoming talks with Trump.
Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to expanding ties, with the Kremlin noting their shared goal of “further developing relations of friendship, neighbourliness, and cooperation across all areas.”
The call fueled speculation in South Korean media about whether Putin might talk about North Korea during his meeting with Trump. Trump, who broke ground as the first U.S. president to visit North Korea during his first term, has a storied history with Kim.
Their face-to-face meetings, including a 2019 summit in Hanoi, Vietnam, faltered over disputes regarding sanctions and North Korea’s nuclear program.
Yet, personal ties persisted, with Kim sending a rare message of support to Trump after a July 2024 assassination attempt during a campaign rally. Trump has since indicated he is open to meeting Kim again in his second term.
Kim Yo-jong, Kim Jong-un’s sister and a senior official, swiftly rejected any notion of North Korea using Putin as a conduit to the U.S.
In a sharp statement on Thursday, she declared, “Why should we send a message to the U.S. side? We have nothing to do with the U.S. We are not at all interested in talks that are obsessed with the irreversible past, and there is no more need to explain the reason.”
While acknowledging the “special personal relations” between her brother and Trump, she stressed that North Korea’s policy toward Washington remains firm.This growing alignment with Russia reflects a shift in North Korea’s geopolitical strategy. While China has long been Pyongyang’s primary ally, Moscow’s recent moves, including the defense treaty and high-level engagements like Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s July visit to Pyongyang, have elevated Russia’s influence.
During Lavrov’s trip, Kim pledged “unconditional” support for Russia’s actions in Ukraine, aligning with the “spirit of the inter-state treaty,” per KCNA.
Putin and Kim’s relationship could be a major factor in any future talks between the United States and Russia. Only time will tell if Putin will use this relationship as a negotiating tactic or not in more discussions with Trump.
Stay tuned to The Federalist Wire.
