Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a New Year’s message to North Korean leader Kim Jong‑un on December 18, emphasizing military cooperation and shared strategic goals, according to North Korean state media reports. The message, posted by state outlets this week, framed bilateral ties as affirming “invincible friendship” and referenced North Korean participation in operations around Russia’s Kursk region. We reached out to the Russian Embassy in Pyongyang and the North Korean Embassy in Beijing for comment.

Why It Matters

The annual New Year message between leaders of Russia and North Korea underlines deepening ties between Moscow and Pyongyang at a time of heightened geopolitical tension. Analysts say the emphasis on military cooperation and historical solidarity reflects shared strategic interests amid the ongoing Russo‑Ukrainian war and broader security competition in Northeast Asia. Such public affirmations can influence regional security perceptions and diplomatic calculations by the United States, China, South Korea and Japan.

What To Know

On December 18, Putin’s message praised North Korean soldiers for their reported “heroic participation” in the defense of Russia’s Kursk region and described their involvement as symbolic of “invincible friendship” between the two states, according to reports carried by North Korean media and summarized by Reuters.

State media also released footage of Kim inspecting a strategic naval asset — an 8,700‑ton class nuclear‑powered submarine — and quoted him asserting that North Korea’s resolve to guarantee “permanent peace and absolute security through nuclear forces remains unwavering,” though these exact quotes were reported in secondary media summaries; details from original North Korean releases have limited public access.

**Explicit caveat:** The public disclosures do not provide independent verification of troop deployments, the operational status of military assets mentioned, or the precise language of internal documents referenced by state media. North Korean and Russian state outlets use similar phrasing to emphasize unity and shared geopolitical narratives, which may not reflect verifiable operational cooperation.

What People Are Saying

Russian President Vladimir Putin said the relationship between Moscow and Pyongyang reflected “invincible friendship” and the shared legacy of military cooperation, according to state media summaries.

North Korean state outlets quoted Kim Jong‑un as reaffirming his country’s commitment to “permanent peace and absolute security through nuclear forces,” aligning with Pyongyang’s longstanding defense policy, as depicted in state imagery (reported in media summaries).

What Happens Next

Observers expect continued public affirmations of strategic cooperation between Russia and North Korea in the months ahead, potentially including state visits, joint commemorations or statements tied to the ongoing Russo‑Ukrainian war and Northeast Asian security challenges. No official bilateral meeting schedule has been publicly released for 2026 at this time.