2 August 2025 – Putin‑Kim Dial – Pre‑Alaska Summit
2 August 2025 – Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un have pled‑to‑strengthen cooperation ahead of Putin’s summit in Alaska with Donald Trump
The voice‑call came three days before the first sitting‑US and‑Russian president summit since 2021, as Trump seeks an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine.
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2 Aug 21: Putin‑Kim Call Details
| Date |
Participants |
Key Phrases |
| Tue 21 |
Vladimir Putin & Kim Jong Un |
“warm comradely atmosphere” |
|
|
“will to strengthen cooperation” |
| Tue 21 |
Putin |
“appreciation for Korean People’s Army spirit” |
|
|
“while‑liberating Kursk” |
| Tue 21 |
Kim |
“full support for future Russian measures” |
Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) released the statement; the Kremlin* confirmed the call in a separate statement.
“Putin shared information with Kim Jong Un in the context of the upcoming talks with US President Donald Trump.”
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2 Aug 21: North Korea War‑Support
North Korea sent thousands of soldiers to Russia’s Kursk region.
Deployed weapons include artillery shells, missiles, long‑range rockets.
South Korea / Western intel reports more than 10 000 troops in Kursk; 600 killed, thousands wounded for Russia.
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2 Aug 21: Potential Impact On Diplomacy
Yang Moo‑jin (University of North Korea Studies, Seoul) said the public disclosure of the call shows an intent to showcase closeness* to domestic and global audiences.
“If Trump & Putin agree on a Ukraine peace deal, Putin could convey Kim’s stance on Trump’s North Korea interests, potentially including a conditional summit on nuclear disarmament.”“Positive spill‑over could benefit US‑North Korea and inter‑Korean dialogue.”
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2 Aug 21: Background on US‑North Korea Relations
Trump met Kim Jong Un three times during his first term to reach a denuclearisation deal.
2019 Hanoi summit failed; Pyongyang accelerated its nuclear programme.
Kim Yo Jong warned Obama‑style denuclearisation would be “thoroughly rejected.”
South Koreans previously had a hard line on North Korea under President Yoon Suk Yeol; President Lee Jae Myung now seeks talks without preconditions.
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Bottom Line
The Putin‑Kim dialogue is a signal of deepening Russian‑North Korean ties in the context of a potential US‑Russia peace summit on the Ukraine war.
The diplomatic manoeuvres could create a ripple effect on US‑North Korea relations and inter‑Korean dialogue, depending on the outcomes of the upcoming Alaska summit.
