A senior Kremlin aide has dismissed remarks by Donald Trump, the United States president, suggesting that Russia, China and North Korea are working together against Washington.
Speaking after a rare three-way appearance by Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong Un and Xi Jinping at a military parade in Beijing, Russian officials insisted there was “no conspiracy” against America.
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The parade, held in Tiananmen Square to mark 80 years since the end of World War II and Japan’s surrender, showcased China’s growing military might with thousands of troops and advanced weaponry on display. Dozens of world leaders attended, though most Western nations were conspicuously absent.
Xi presided over the commemorations, flanked by Putin and Kim, who stood publicly together for the first time. The symbolism was striking: Moscow and Pyongyang have deepened ties in recent months, and Beijing has sought to project itself as a central force in a shifting global order.
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After the event, Putin and Kim travelled to the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse for talks, arriving in the same car after a formal reception. Kim’s daughter, Kim Ju Ae, accompanied him, according to images released by North Korean state media.
During the talks, Putin hailed the “bravery and heroism” of North Korean soldiers he claimed had joined Russian forces in repelling a Ukrainian incursion into the border region of Kursk. Kim, for his part, pledged to support Moscow further, describing it as a “fraternal duty.” He said cooperation between the two countries had “significantly strengthened” since the signing of a strategic partnership pact in June 2024.
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But while the optics of the Beijing summit suggested growing alignment, Russian officials sought to play down Trump’s provocative remarks. In a post on his Truth Social platform, the US president had written: “Please give my warmest regards to Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un, as you conspire against The United States of America.”
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov responded by urging caution. “No one is plotting any conspiracies,” he told journalists, adding that Russia’s relations with China and North Korea were “for the benefit of our peoples, and not against third countries.” He said he hoped Trump’s comments were “figurative, not literal.”
Presidential aide Yury Ushakov echoed that sentiment, stressing: “No conspiracies have been arranged, no one has been conspiring, no conspiracies at all — and moreover, none of these three leaders have even entertained such thoughts.”
At the same time, Putin reiterated Moscow’s opposition to Ukraine’s potential NATO membership, arguing that “the security of one country cannot be achieved at the expense of another.” His comments came on the eve of a meeting of Kyiv’s Western allies, who are preparing new security guarantees for Ukraine should the fighting slow or pause.
