This week saw Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to North Korea, the first one in 24 years and since Kim Jong-un became its supreme leader. The two heads of state signed a defense cooperation deal in which they agreed the two countries will provide each other with military assistance and help in case one of them is attacked by a third party. And while Kim insisted the collaboration was "peace-loving," it raised an alarm across the globe.
The deal came as both Russia and North Korea are enduring various international sanctions, particularly from the West, mostly due to Moscow's military operation in Ukraine and Pyongyang's non-compliance to the agreement on the nuclear disarmament of the Korean Peninsula. Putin condemned the measures against the two countries, calling them politically motivated. Seemingly, it was the sanctions that brought Russia and North Korea closer, with some experts noting the relations mirror those the latter had with the Soviet Union during the Cold War. The two leaders even underscored the ties between Moscow and Pyongyang stand as an opposition to the unilateralism personified in the United States.
According to some experts, the visit benefited both Putin and Kim. Putin demonstrated that he still has allies on the international stage, particularly a meaningful one that invests a lot in its military sector. On the other hand, Kim welcoming such a well-known head of state lifts North Korea's profile around the world and his own back at home. The meeting also provided Pyongyang with the backing of a powerful partner in opposition to the alliance forged by the US, Japan, and South Korea.
The details of the deal signed have not been disclosed fully as only North Korea published a version of it. And while experts expect it covers cooperation in various fields, including military, they also predict Putin approached the agreement and the promises made with caution as he does not want to imperil his relations with China. Some reports claimed Putin was told not to go to North Korea during his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing in May, as the latter was alleged not to be a fan of Kim's. Xi seemingly does not want tensions escalating so close to China now as Beijing seeks to challenge the US in the field of economy. As the analysts stressed, Putin, while seeking to stand as an opposition to the West, does not want to endanger the relations between Moscow and Beijing, a major partner in more ways than one.
During the meeting, Putin claimed he would like the next encounter of the two leaders to be held in Moscow. While the details of that too remain unknown, the West seems to be left wondering in which direction the cooperation will go and prepare a response, starting with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) electing a new leader.
