Putin: "Restoration of Russia-Korea Relations Depends on Korea... Russia Is Ready"

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on the 4th (local time) that "whether cooperation between Russia and Korea returns to a partnership track that benefits the peoples of both countries depends on Korea."

According to the Kremlin, President Putin made this remark at the credential presentation ceremony for ambassadors from 21 countries held at the Moscow Kremlin, adding, "I want to emphasize that Russia is ready for this."

He evaluated, "Until a few years ago, the relationship between the two countries developed constructively and was mutually beneficial, especially in the economic sector," and "We worked together for the political and diplomatic resolution of the situation on the Korean Peninsula."

On the same day, Lee Do-hoon, the newly appointed Korean ambassador to Russia, presented his credentials to President Putin. The credential presentation is a procedure in which the head of state of the sending country delivers the credentials granted to the new ambassador to the head of state of the host country.

President Putin received credentials from ambassadors of a total of 21 countries, including Korea, the United Kingdom, and Germany, which were designated as 'unfriendly countries' following sanctions against Russia due to the Ukraine war.

He also emphasized mutual cooperation with Germany, the United Kingdom, and other European countries. To Nigel Casey, the British ambassador, Putin said, "I hope the situation changes for the better for the benefit of the peoples of both countries," and to Alexander Graf Lambsdorff, the German ambassador, he stated, "The suspension of cooperation does not help either country, and building relations based on the principles of equality, mutual benefit, and respect is important not only for both countries but for Europe as a whole."

However, regarding Sweden, which abandoned its military neutrality policy after the Ukraine crisis and applied to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), he criticized, saying, "It is questionable to abandon a 200-year policy of not participating in military blocs."

President Putin said, "Russia can establish constructive partnerships with all countries and does not accept bloc confrontations or actions that violate the UN Charter," adding, "We are neither biased nor hostile to anyone."