In a landmark summit on Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed a new partnership deal that includes a mutual aid pact in the event of an attack on either country. The agreement, which covers areas such as security, trade, investment, and cultural and humanitarian ties, represents the strongest connection between Moscow and Pyongyang since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
The meeting, which took place during Putin’s first visit to North Korea in 24 years, comes amid escalating tensions between both countries and the West. The U.S. and its allies have expressed growing concerns over an arms arrangement in which North Korea provides Russia with badly needed munitions for its war in Ukraine in exchange for economic assistance and technology transfers that could enhance the threat posed by Kim’s nuclear weapons and missile program.
Kim Jong Un greeted Putin with a lavish welcome, meeting him at the airport Tuesday night and riding together in a limousine through the capital’s brightly illuminated streets. The following day, Putin attended a welcoming ceremony at the city’s main square, filled with tens of thousands of spectators, before the two leaders began their talks.
During the discussions, Putin thanked Kim for North Korea’s support in his war against Ukraine, which he described as a fight against the “imperialist hegemonistic policies” of the U.S. and its allies. In turn, Kim pledged “full support and solidarity” for Russia’s actions in Ukraine, calling the two countries’ friendship “fiery” and even closer than during Soviet times.
The exact nature of North Korea’s support for Russia remains unclear, but U.S. and South Korean officials accuse Pyongyang of providing Moscow with artillery, missiles, and other military equipment for use in Ukraine. Both countries deny these accusations, which would violate multiple U.N. Security Council sanctions that Russia previously endorsed.
Russia, along with China, has provided political cover for Kim’s continuing efforts to advance his nuclear arsenal, repeatedly blocking U.S.-led efforts to impose fresh U.N. sanctions on the North over its weapons tests.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken criticized Putin’s visit to North Korea, stating that it illustrates Russia’s desperation to develop and strengthen relations with countries that can provide it with what it needs to continue its war of aggression against Ukraine.
As tensions on the Korean Peninsula reach their highest point in years, the landmark partnership between Russia and North Korea is set to have significant implications for regional security and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
