RUSSIA’S foreign minister warned the United States, South Korea and Japan against forming a security partnership targeting North Korea as he visited his country’s ally for talks on further solidifying their growing military and other co-operation.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov spoke on Saturday at North Korea’s eastern Wonsan city, where he met the country’s leader, Kim Jong Un.

Mr Kim during the meeting reaffirmed his government’s commitment to “unconditionally support and encourage all measures” taken by Russia in its conflict with Ukraine.

He said that Pyongyang and Moscow share identical views on “all strategic issues in conformity with the level of alliance,” according to North Korea’s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

Mr Lavrov called for the two countries to further strengthen their “strategic and tactical co-operation and intensify concerted action” in international affairs, KCNA reported.

Relations between Russia and North Korea have strengthened in recent years, with North Korea supplying troops and ammunition to support Russia’s war against Ukraine in return for military and economic assistance.

Speaking with reporters after a meeting with his North Korean counterpart Choe Son Hui, Mr Lavrov accused the US, South Korea and Japan of what he called military build-ups around North Korea.

“We warn against exploiting these ties to build alliances directed against anyone, including North Korea and, of course, Russia,” Mr Lavrov said, according to Russia’s Tass news agency.

The US, South Korea and Japan have expanded their trilateral military exercises. The three countries held a joint air drill on Friday involving US nuclear-capable bombers near the Korean Peninsula as their top military officers met in Seoul and urged North Korea to cease all unlawful activities threatening regional security.

North Korea views major US-led military drills as invasion rehearsals and has long argued it is forced to develop nuclear weapons to defend itself from US military threats.

Russia understands North Korea’s decision to seek nuclear weapons, Mr Lavrov, the veteran diplomat said.

“The technologies used by North Korea are the result of the work of its own scientists. We respect North Korea’s aspirations and understand the reasons why it is pursuing nuclear development,” Mr Lavrov said, according to Tass.

During their meeting, Mr Choe reiterated North Korea “unconditionally” supports Russia’s fight against Ukraine.

Mr Lavrov said: “We once again expressed our sincere gratitude for the contribution of Korean People’s Army servicemen to the successful liberation of the Kursk Region from Ukrainian Nazis and foreign mercenaries.”