What did Putin say to the North Korean supreme leader on the phone?

Russian President Vladimir Putin has reiterated his “friendship” with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ahead of his meeting with Donald Trump on Friday (August 15). Putin and Kim spoke on Tuesday, during which the Russian leader praised Pyongyang for providing his country with military assistance in its war against Ukraine. This week, Russia has made new military advances in Ukraine, advancing 10 kilometers in a short time in a surprise attack near the eastern town of Dobropilia. A Kremlin statement said Kim and Putin “reaffirmed their commitment to further developing friendly relations, good relations and cooperation.” Putin briefed Kim on preparations for the Alaska summit and “shared information” on an upcoming meeting with US President Donald Trump, the Kremlin said. North Korea’s official statement did not mention this. Putin, repeating his earlier remarks, said he was grateful for “North Korea’s assistance in liberating the Kursk region.” Last year, Ukrainian troops unexpectedly launched an offensive in Russia’s Kursk region, showing Western allies that they were capable of fighting against Russia. Russia currently occupies about 20% of Ukraine. The talks between Putin and Kim came as the Russian president is expected to meet Trump in Alaska—his first face-to-face meeting with a US president since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. While the war has left Russia almost completely isolated from the West economically and diplomatically, Moscow and Pyongyang have forged an unprecedented partnership. According to Ukrainian and South Korean sources, at least 10,000 North Korean soldiers are fighting alongside Russian forces. North Korea has also supplied Russia with missiles, ammunition and workers. South Korean intelligence officials have told the BBC that Moscow is becoming increasingly dependent on North Korean workers, with many Russian soldiers either killed, engaged in combat or fleeing the country.