The leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-Un, shakes hands with Putin for “stronger strategic ties.”

In a message of congratulations to Russian President Vladimir Putin for Moscow’s important national holiday, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un expressed his willingness to forge closer strategic ties with that country, according to North Korea’s state media on Monday.

According to the “North’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA),” Kim stated in the message sent in honour of Russia Day that friendly relations with Russia are a “precious strategic asset” and that his nation will work tirelessly to foster these cooperative ties.

Shaking hands closely with the Russian president, the ruler called for increased strategic collaboration with Russia in line with the two nations’ shared ambition to achieve the lofty objective of constructing a powerful nation.

The fact that Kim tried to serenade Putin with his beautiful remarks is noteworthy. Kim commended Russia’s “holy fight” against what he dubbed “imperialists” in a letter he wrote to Putin in May.

According to Yonhap News Agency, “Russia Day” is observed on June 12 to commemorate the adoption of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic’s Declaration of State Sovereignty in 1990.

In an English-language dispatch, the KCNA used the acronym for the North’s full name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, to report that the North’s leader expressed “his willingness to strive for closer strategic cooperation between the DPRK and Russia.”

According to Kim, the fight by the Russian people to fend off hostile forces’ attempts to strip Moscow of its security and sovereignty has entered a “new decisive phase,” and his people are offering “full support and solidarity” to Russia, according to the KCNA.

The North’s continued support of Russia in its conflict with Ukraine appears to be reiterated in Kim’s message.

Despite international condemnation of the conflict and claims that North Korea has given weapons to use in the conflict, the North has been deepening its close ties with Russia.