Indo-Pacific — 2026-07-23

Russia Lavrov Vows Full Support for North Korea Nuclear and Military Buildup During Pyongyang Visit

BLUFMoscow's rhetorical embrace of Pyongyang's nuclear program functions primarily as diplomatic leverage ahead of the Rubio meeting, not as a signal of imminent military-technical cooperation.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Wednesday, following Russia-ASEAN foreign ministers meetings in Manila, that Moscow "clearly reaffirmed its full support" for North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's effort to strengthen the country's "defense capabilities" and sovereignty 1. Lavrov said Russia does not support calls for North Korea's denuclearization, arguing the term applies to the entire Korean peninsula under UN resolutions 2. He linked Moscow's position to "aggressive games" unfolding around North Korea and cited recent statements by Japan's prime minister on possibly reviewing Japan's non-nuclear principles as a "serious signal" 2. Lavrov made the remarks at a Manila press conference ahead of a planned meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on July 23, at which he said he intends to press Washington on its position toward the Ukraine conflict 2.

Analysis
Lavrov's Manila remarks formalize Moscow's alignment with Pyongyang against denuclearization, recasting the term as applying to the entire peninsula rather than North Korea alone and tying the stance to Tokyo's emerging debate over its non-nuclear principles. The framing signals Russia intends to invoke North Korea's arsenal as leverage against Washington and Tokyo, particularly ahead of Lavrov's meeting with Rubio on Ukraine, though nothing indicates movement from rhetoric toward concrete military-technical transfer. Sourcing rests entirely on the Russian foreign ministry's own transcript, with other outlets merely repackaging the same press-conference remarks. The statement may function primarily as pre-meeting positioning against Rubio on Ukraine rather than a substantive new commitment to Pyongyang.

3 sources

Russia vows support for North Korea nuclear military buildup: Lavrov - NK News
Meeting with Marco Rubio, the militarization of Europe and the DPRK's defense capability: Sergey Lavrov's main statements at a press conference in Manila, where ASEAN events are taking place - Pravda Germany
Excerpt from Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's remarks and answers to media questions following the Russia-ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting - Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (mid.ru transcript)