This happened on August 12, 2025. Putin's special plane had not taken off from Moscow and was about to go to Alaska to meet Trump. As a result, Kim Jong-un suddenly called Russia and made a clear statement that he would fully support Russia's various measures. Almost at the same time, the Chinese Foreign Ministry also issued a statement, pointing out its own views in two sentences. As soon as this happened, there were a lot of discussions internationally because it involved Ukrainian conflict, U.S.-Russia relations, and the pattern of Northeast Asia. Let’s talk about the ins and outs behind this step by step, why it emerged at this time, and the possible impact it may have.

Let’s talk about the background first. On August 15, 2025, Putin and Trump were going to meet at the Anchorage Air Force Base in Alaska. This was the first time Trump had a face-to-face conversation with Putin since he took office, and the main focus was on the Ukrainian issue. Trump has been shouting since his election campaign to end the conflict as soon as possible. He feels that the United States has spent too much money to aid Ukraine and has to find a way out. On Putin's side, the Russian army is advancing slowly in eastern Ukraine and is facing pressure from Western sanctions, so it also wants to slow down through negotiations. But on the eve of this meeting, all parties were testing the bottom line. North Korea's phone number and China's statement were like adding fire to the game.

North Korea's move is the most direct. Kim Jong-un promised on the phone that North Korea would support all decisions of the Russian leadership in accordance with the spirit of the treaty between the two countries. This treaty refers to the comprehensive strategic partnership agreement signed by Putin when he visited North Korea in June 2024, which includes military mutual assistance clauses. The Kremlin announcement said that Putin highly praised North Korea's help in the Kursk Prefecture operation, a place where Russia's mainland was temporarily occupied by Ukrainian troops. North Korea sent troops to help regain lost territory. Putin also revealed some of the contents of the talks with Trump to Kim Jong-un in advance. Although the North Korean official media did not mention this, the timing of the call was too coincidental, just the day before Putin set off. According to external analysis, this may be that North Korea is giving Russia courage to show that it is not isolated and helpless. It also reminds the United States that Northeast Asia has its own circle of allies and should not just focus on Europe.

In fact, North Korea has its own plan for doing this. Under Kim Jong-un, North Korea's economy has been affected by sanctions, and cooperation with Russia can bring oil, food and technical support. After Kim Jong-un visited Russia in September 2023, the trade volume between the two countries increased several times, and North Korea also exported shells and missiles for Russia to use on the Ukrainian battlefield. In return, Russia helped North Korea upgrade its missile technology and might even share satellite intelligence. During this call, Putin also congratulated North Korea on its upcoming 80th anniversary of the liberation of the motherland. This was polite on the surface, but actually strengthened the ties between the two countries. North Korean media rarely report this matter. Usually they are very low-key about foreign heads of state calls. This time they are high-profile, probably to show their strength to the outside world and shock South Korea and Japan.

Turning to China, China's statement has come with a steady approach. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said at a regular press conference on August 12 that first, support all efforts that are conducive to a peaceful resolution of the crisis, and is happy to see Russia and the United States maintain contact, improve relations, and promote the political resolution process of the Ukrainian crisis. Second, we look forward to all parties and stakeholders participating in the peace talks in due course and to reach a fair, lasting, binding and accepted peace agreement as soon as possible. These two sentences sound average, but they taste good. It first affirmed the positive side of the Russian-US dialogue, which was equivalent to endorsing Putin and encouraged Trump to continue the talks. At the same time, it emphasized that "all parties" are involved, which means that Russia and the United States cannot be allowed to close down, and that Ukraine and European countries must be brought in to avoid being one-sided. This reflects China's consistent position: not choose sides, but promote multilateral dialogue and safeguard its own interests.

Why does China speak out at this time? Because the Ukraine conflict has dragged on for too long and has a great impact on the global economy, China, as the largest trading country, has been greatly impacted by energy price fluctuations and supply chain disruptions. After the conflict broke out in 2022, China has been calling for a ceasefire negotiation and proposed a 12-point peace plan in 2023. Although it has not been fully accepted by the West, it at least shows a constructive role. After Trump took office in 2025, there were some signs of easing between the US and China. He wanted to help pressure Russia on the Ukraine issue, but China did not directly intervene, but reiterated the principle. These two sentences also indirectly responded to Zelensky's concerns. He publicly stated on the 12th that any decision that does not include Ukraine is unacceptable. When China mentioned "stakeholders" in its statement, it included Europe and Ukraine in the framework to prevent private transactions from harming others.

Having said that, the signal released by this matter is quite complicated. For Russia, North Korea's support and China's affirmation will give Putin more confidence to go to Alaska. He knew the backyard was stable and would not give in easily. On Trump's side, he called this meeting "temporary", which means to survey the situation first and not expect it to happen overnight, but he will ask Putin to end the war. The White House did not invite Zelensky to attend, and also said that the Russian and Ukrainian leaders had to meet after the US-Russia summit, which made Ukraine very passive. Zelensky was anxious and emphasized that the fate of Ukraine cannot be decided by others, but the reality is that the balance of power is huge, and his statement is more of a political attitude.

European countries can't sit still. Hungarian Prime Minister Orban said that if you are not on the negotiating table, it is on the menu, which means that Europe has to actively participate or be marginalized. There are differences within the EU, some like Poland supports Ukraine to the end, while others like Hungary are more pro-Russian. China's statement actually leaves room for Europe and encourages multiple parties to join the negotiations. This is also in line with China's Belt and Road Initiative, stabilizing Europe will be beneficial to China-Europe trade.

From a larger perspective, this phone call and China's statement highlights the coordination between Russia, North Korea and China. After Putin's visit to North Korea in 2024, the interaction between the three countries increased. Russia and China joined forces to block new sanctions against North Korea at the UN Security Council, and North Korea helped Russia fill the labor gap and sent workers to the Far East.

What is the impact on the United States? Trump wants to quickly solve Ukraine and deal with domestic economic and Middle East issues. But if Russia-US talks collapse, North Korea's support for Russia may intensify tensions in Northeast Asia, South Korea and Japan will strengthen the US-Japan-South Korea alliance, and China may be closer together. Zelensky accused Putin of not really wanting a truce and just trying to get rid of isolation through meetings. This makes sense, because the Russian army is still advancing and has recently captured several villages in Donetsk.

Finally, let’s talk about the possible follow-up. After the Alaska meeting, if there is a preliminary consensus, multiple rounds of negotiations may be started, including Ukraine's joining. China may send special envoys to mediate, and Russia thanks China for its role. North Korea continues to provide military assistance, but keep a low profile. If Trump succeeds, he will boast about his diplomatic genius, but if he fails, he will blame his ex. In short, this reminds everyone that international relations are not a zero-sum game, we have to find common ground.