Russia and Germany Welcome North Korea's Decision to Suspend Nuclear and Missile Tests

Following the welcoming of various countries regarding Kim Jong-un's decision to suspend nuclear and missile tests and dismantle related facilities in North Korea, Russia also expressed its approval of this decision. According to the TASS news agency, in a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry published on Saturday, April 20, the North Korean leader's decision was described as 'an important step towards the next phases of de-escalation on the Korean Peninsula' and recent developments in the region were assessed as 'aligned with the roadmap of Russia and China' for resolving the crisis. Kim Jong-un's new order to suspend nuclear and missile tests, which took effect on Saturday, was announced shortly after his meeting with Mike Pompeo, the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States. This decision was also made ahead of the summit between the two Koreas, and officials from Washington and Pyongyang are preparing for a meeting between the leaders of the United States and North Korea. During this time, there was no mention of the roadmap from Russia or China. The Russian plan, which China supports, consists of three stages: 'the suspension of North Korean nuclear and missile tests in exchange for the cessation of joint military exercises by the U.S. and South Korea', 'the initiation of direct negotiations between North Korea and the U.S. as well as between North Korea and South Korea', and 'multilateral discussions, especially involving the Six-Party Talks including the U.S., China, Japan, South Korea, Russia, and North Korea.' Germany: This is the first step The new decision by the North Korean leader, announced early Saturday local time through the official news agency of the country, was met with cautious approval from Germany as well. Heiko Maas, the German Foreign Minister, described Kim Jong-un's decision on Saturday as 'a step in the right direction,' but also stated that Pyongyang must 'take specific steps and announce its nuclear and missile programs completely in a verifiable manner.' However, Antonio Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, who was in Sweden for a working group, said on Saturday that he is optimistic about nuclear disarmament on the Korean Peninsula. Nikki Haley, the U.S. representative to the United Nations, also stated in the same working group that the North Korean leader's new decision is the result of 'the unity of the Security Council members' in confronting North Korea. Just hours earlier, Donald Trump, the President of the United States, tweeted that 'this is very good news for North Korea and the world. Big progress! Looking forward to our meeting.' China, as the main supporter and economic partner of North Korea, also described this decision as a step towards nuclear disarmament in a volatile region. North Korea, one of the poorest countries in the world, has pursued a policy of simultaneous military and economic development for years, but the biting sanctions imposed by the United Nations last year, which targeted more than two-thirds of North Korea's export income, dealt a severe blow to the country's economy.