North Korean leader Kim Jong Un offered Moscow his "full support" in the Ukraine war during a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, state-run KCNA reported Sunday. Lavrov's official visit marks the latest in a series of high-level engagements between the two nations, reflecting deepening bilateral ties as Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues.

North Korea has reportedly supplied weapons and deployed thousands of troops to bolster Russia’s offensive, particularly in the Kursk region, to push back Ukrainian forces. Kim and Lavrov met Saturday in an atmosphere of "warm comradely trust," according to KCNA.

The talks took place in Wonsan, a coastal city where a massive new tourist complex—aimed at attracting Russian visitors—has recently opened. Lavrov praised the Kim-backed project as "a good tourist attraction," expressing hope it would draw both locals and Russians.

Kim assured Lavrov that North Korea stands "ready to unconditionally support and encourage all measures taken by the Russian leadership to decisively address the Ukrainian crisis." He also voiced "firm confidence" in Russia’s victory, calling it a "sacred cause" to defend the nation’s dignity and core interests.

The two leaders also discussed implementing agreements from the historic June 2024 DPRK-Russia summit, KCNA reported, using North Korea’s official acronym. Military cooperation between the two nations has intensified in recent years, including a mutual defense pact signed during President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Pyongyang last year.

Russian state news agency TASS quoted Lavrov saying Putin looks forward to "maintaining direct contacts in the very near future." The minister departed Pyongyang for Beijing on Sunday to attend a Shanghai Cooperation Organization ministerial meeting.

Lavrov’s trip follows Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu’s visit to North Korea just six weeks ago, underscoring the growing alignment between Moscow and Pyongyang amid escalating global tensions.