North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui departed Pyongyang on a personal flight bound for Moscow on Saturday, beginning an official visit at the invitation of Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov.
The Russian Foreign Ministry announced the visit on July 18, confirming that the two top diplomats are expected to hold talks. The meeting is widely seen as groundwork for a potential summit between President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, whom Moscow has invited to Russia. The trip marks Choe's first known visit to Russia since October 2025.
State media KCNA reported on the journey as the delegation left the capital. The visit comes as Moscow deepens ties with Pyongyang amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, where Botswana has reported its citizens were deceived into fighting under Russian uniforms.