Putin Arrives in North Korea; Leaders of Both Countries to Focus on Signing a New Treaty

Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, arrived in Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea, on Wednesday, June 19, and is expected to sign a treaty with the country's leader regarding extensive bilateral cooperation. This is Putin's first visit to North Korea in 24 years. Russian media have reported that several main streets in Pyongyang have been decorated with portraits of Putin and the Russian flag to mark his arrival. According to the Russian news agency TASS, Putin intends to sign a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during this two-day visit, but details of the agreement have not been disclosed. One of Putin's foreign policy aides previously told the news agency that the treaty will cover 'defense issues.' In a letter published yesterday in North Korea's state media, Putin stated that the two countries will expand their 'multilateral partnership' and committed to cooperating with this country to counter sanctions. Vladimir Putin mentioned in the letter that the two countries will focus on developing trade mechanisms 'uncontrolled by the West' and will counter 'illegal unilateral restrictions,' which analysts interpret as a reference to the multiple sanctions imposed on Pyongyang and Moscow. Russia has been a long-time ally of North Korea, and although relations between the two countries have sometimes been strained, they have found more reasons to cooperate following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. American officials say North Korea has provided 11,000 containers of ammunition and ballistic missiles for use in the war against Ukraine. Both North Korea and Russia deny this arms exchange despite evidence. Leif-Eric Izley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul, states, 'Moscow and Pyongyang will continue to deny violations of international law, but instead of hiding their illegal activities, they have shifted to demonstrating cooperation between the two countries.' American officials are concerned about the possibility that Russia may provide advanced weapons or assistance related to North Korea's nuclear program. These concerns intensified when the North Korean leader inspected several military sites in eastern Russia, including a modern space launch center, where he reviewed a large number of advanced Russian weapons. Jens Stoltenberg, NATO Secretary-General, stated after a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Washington that Putin's visit to North Korea demonstrates Russia's close alignment not only with North Korea but also with other authoritarian countries, including the Islamic Republic of Iran and China. Russia currently has strategic partnerships with countries including Vietnam, Mongolia, and some Central Asian countries. Georgy Toloraya, a former Russian diplomat, told Voice of America, 'It is unlikely that the treaty [between Russia and North Korea] will include a section calling for direct military assistance, but it will create conditions under which such a thing could become possible.' In 1961, North Korea and the Soviet Union signed a treaty that included military intervention in emergencies. This agreement was annulled after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The two countries signed a new treaty in 2000 that focused on economic issues.