On Tuesday, as Vladimir Putin travelled to the nuclear-armed nation of North Korea for the first time in twenty-four years, Russian President pledged to strengthen security and trade relations with the country and to stand with it against the United States.
The United States and its Asian allies are attempting to ascertain the extent of Russia’s backing for Kim Jong Un, the leader of North Korea, whose nation is the only one to have tested nuclear weapons in the twenty-first century.
As a sign that the veto-wielding member of the UN Security Council, Russia, is reevaluating its strategy towards North Korea as a whole, Putin commended Pyongyang for fending off what he described as threats, blackmail, and economic pressure from the US.
Putin praised “Comrade” Kim in a piece that appeared in North Korean state media, and pledged to “jointly resist illegitimate unilateral restrictions” in order to advance commerce and bolster security throughout Eurasia.
“Washington, refusing to implement previously reached agreements, continuously puts forward new, increasingly stringent and obviously unacceptable demands,” Putin said in the article, printed on the front page of North Korea’s Rodong Sinmun, the ruling Workers’ Party mouthpiece.
“Russia has always supported and will continue to support the DPRK and the heroic Korean people in their opposition to the insidious, dangerous and aggressive enemy.”
Less than two years before the 1950 Korean War, Kim’s grandfather, Kim Il Sung, formed the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), which Putin pointed out was first recognised by the Soviet Union.
Additionally, articles endorsing Russia and endorsing its military actions in Ukraine—dubbed a “sacred war of all Russian citizens”—were released by North Korean state media.
The United States claims that North Korea has sent Russia “dozens of ballistic missiles and over 11,000 containers of munitions” to be used in Ukraine, coinciding with Putin’s state visit. An ardent ally of the United States, South Korea, has voiced similar worries.
The White House expressed its concern about the growing closeness between North Korea and Russia on Monday. According to the U.S. State Department, it is “quite certain” that Putin will look to acquire weapons to aid in his conflict in Ukraine.
While denying the delivery of weapons, Moscow and Pyongyang have promised to strengthen military cooperation, maybe through joint exercises. Given that Russia is expected to generate more ammunition this year than the whole NATO military alliance, Putin’s visit is probably intended to highlight to Washington just how disruptive Moscow can be on a variety of international issues.
A panel of experts overseeing the implementation of long-standing UN sanctions against North Korea due to its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes was set to renew annually in March, but Russia blocked it.
Putin’s foreign policy adviser, Yuri Ushakov, said Russia and North Korea may sign a partnership agreement during the visit that would include security issues.
Ushakiv said the deal would not be directed against any other country, but would “outline prospects for further cooperation”.
According to Russia’s Interfax news agency, Ushakov stated that the visit will involve one-on-one talks between the two presidents in addition to a gala concert, state welcome, honour guards, document signings, and a media statement.
The mission will include the heads of Putin’s energy envoy, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak, the Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov, the Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, the ministries of natural resources, health, and transportation, as well as the chiefs of the Russian space agency and its railways.
Commercial satellite imagery revealed that North Korea appeared to have been getting ready for a potential military parade in Pyongyang’s downtown ahead of the visit.
According to Victor Cha, a former U.S. national security official who is currently employed at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, the meeting poses the worst threat to U.S. national security since the Korean War. Cha stated in a report released on Monday that “this relationship, deep in history and reinvigorated by the war in Ukraine, undermines the security of Europe, Asia, and the U.S. homeland.”
In order to put more diplomatic and economic pressure on Pyongyang, involve China, and begin a massive information and human rights campaign to inundate the North with outside media, he encouraged Washington to collaborate with Europe and other allies.
Since 2006, North Korea has been subject to U.N. sanctions related to its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes; these penalties have been tightened over time. There is disagreement inside the Security Council regarding how to handle Pyongyang.
More sanctions, according to China and Russia, won’t help, and joint military exercises between the US and South Korea would only incite Pyongyang. An effort by the United States to put additional restrictions on North Korea for its resumption of ballistic missile launches was blocked two years ago.
Beijing and Moscow are accused by Washington and its Asian allies of giving North Korea more confidence by insulating it from more sanctions. Putin will visit Vietnam on June 19–20, following his visit to North Korea.
(Soruce: Reuters)
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