Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and updated him on the planned summit he is set to hold with US President Donald Trump this Friday, the Kremlin reported. North Korea's state news agency KCNA reported that Putin expressed appreciation to Kim for his country's assistance in "liberating" the Kursk region of Russia as part of the war with Ukraine, as well as for the "courage, heroism and spirit of self-sacrifice" demonstrated by the North Korean soldiers sent to the area to assist the Russian army.