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Putin discusses Ukraine war in phone call with Kim Jong Un ahead of Trump summit

North Korean state media’s first-ever report on Kim phone call with a world leader leaves out detail on Alaska talks
Anton Sokolin | Colin Zwirko August 13, 2025
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Putin discusses Ukraine war in phone call with Kim Jong Un ahead of Trump summit
Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un reportedly talked on the phone on Aug. 12 | Images: Kremlin (Jan. 9, 2024), Rodong Sinmun (Aug. 13, 2025)

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin held a phone call to discuss their joint war against Ukraine and exchange greetings on the 80th anniversary of Korea's liberation from Japan, according to DPRK state media on Wednesday.

The Kremlin also reported that Putin "shared information with Kim Jong Un in the context of the upcoming talks with U.S. President Donald Trump" during their call Tuesday, but the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) readout did not include this detail.

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About the Authors

Anton Sokolin

Anton Sokolin

Anton Sokolin is the data correspondent at NK News. He previously worked at Reuters, TASS and the Korea Trade Promotion Corporation (KOTRA).

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Colin Zwirko

Colin Zwirko

Colin Zwirko is a Senior Analytic Correspondent for NK News based in Seoul. He joined the company in 2018 after receiving a master's degree in international security and foreign policy from South Korea's Yonsei University. Follow him on Bluesky / Twitter.

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