Kim Jong Un, the General Secretary of North Korea’s Workers’ Party, sent a New Year’s greeting to Russian President Vladimir Putin, underscoring the robust nature of their bilateral relationship.
The party’s official newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, published a message on Saturday titled “Dear Comrade Kim Jong Un Sends a Message to the President of the Russian Federation.”
In the message, Kim addressed Putin as “my dear comrade” and said that as the New Year 2026 begins, he extends his warmest and most sincere greetings on behalf of the government of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the North Korean people to the Russian president, as well as to the government and people of the Russian Federation.
Kim wrote that throughout 2025, relations between North Korea and Russia had developed into what he described as a genuine alliance forged through shared sacrifice, adding that its strength and stability have become increasingly evident over time.
He emphasized that no force could sever the unity between the two peoples, which he said is firmly built on a shared will and determination to uphold what he called the rightful course of history.
Kim also described the current North Korea–Russia alliance as a valuable shared asset that should be passed on to future generations, expressing pride in what he called the creation and advancement of a long-standing friendship between the two countries.
He added that justice, truth, victory, and glory would always stand with Putin and Russia, reaffirming that the government of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the Korean people would remain united with the Russian government and people.
Since signing the Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in June last year, North Korea and Russia have continued to expand cooperation across multiple fields. In October, the two sides further deepened military cooperation by deploying special forces to the Kursk region of Russia. With the 9th Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea scheduled for early next year, plans to expand and modernize the military-industrial complex suggest that cooperation between North Korea and Russia is being positioned as a long-term strategic relationship rather than a short-term arrangement.