— During a bilateral meeting in Beijing on the sidelines of China’s 80th anniversary military ceremony, North Korean leader Kim Jong‑un pledged to “do everything I can to assist” Moscow after talks with Russian president Vladimir Putin, who invited Kim to visit Russia.
Key takeaways
- Kim and Putin held a more than two‑hour meeting in Beijing during China’s military parade events.
- Putin invited Kim to travel to Russia; Kim said “see you soon” as they parted.
- North Korea has supplied weapons and, according to multiple accounts, deployed troops to support Russia in Ukraine.
- Russia launched a large overnight strike on Ukraine—about 500 drones and roughly two dozen missiles—targeting energy and transport infrastructure.
- Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the strikes and called for tougher sanctions; some experts urge legal scrutiny over foreign support for Moscow.
Verified facts
The meeting took place in Beijing on 3 September 2025 as leaders attended a ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of the end of the second world war. Video released by the Kremlin shows the leaders conversing and departing together on the Tiananmen Square red carpet.
In the recorded exchange, Kim told Putin he would “do everything I can to assist.” Putin replied, by interpreter, inviting Kim to visit Russia; Kim said “see you soon” and hugged Putin on departure. The leaders’ interaction followed Kim’s arrival in Beijing by armoured train and a prior 2023 trip to Russia.
Since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Pyongyang has been identified by multiple governments as a supplier of artillery shells, missiles and other materiel to Moscow. Analysts and officials have also reported deployments of North Korean personnel to fight alongside Russian forces in the Kursk region, though Pyongyang initially denied troop movements.
On the same day, Russian forces conducted a major assault on western and central Ukraine, with Ukrainian authorities reporting approximately 500 drones and about two dozen missiles aimed largely at energy and rail infrastructure. Ukraine said at least four railway workers were injured. Poland reported scrambling defence aircraft in response.
Context & impact
The meeting underscores the deepening ties between Moscow and Pyongyang. In 2024 the two countries signed an agreement committing mutual “military and other assistance” if one is attacked, formalising security cooperation that Western officials say has practical implications on the battlefield in Ukraine.
Beijing hosted the ceremony and met both leaders amid efforts by Xi Jinping to manage relations with Moscow and Pyongyang while limiting fallout with the West. Analysts say China seeks to balance strategic partnerships without inviting fresh sanctions.
For Kyiv and its partners, North Korea’s material and human support to Russia raises strategic and legal concerns. Some international law experts have proposed that senior figures who materially assist an ongoing aggression could face legal exposure; Russia’s president is already subject to an ICC arrest warrant related to alleged war crimes in Ukraine.
Official statements
“We are waiting for you, come visit us,” Putin said to Kim during the exchange, and Kim replied he would do “everything I can to assist.”
Kremlin video and public remarks
Unconfirmed
- Exact numbers and locations of North Korean troops reported in Ukraine remain contested; some deployments were initially denied by Pyongyang.
- Details of any planned bilateral visit by Kim to Russia have not been formally announced.
Bottom line
The Beijing encounter highlighted growing ties between Moscow and Pyongyang and produced an invitation that could deepen military cooperation. The timing — coinciding with a large Russian strike on Ukraine — has increased international alarm and bolstered calls for stronger sanctions and legal scrutiny.