North Korea's leader, Jong Un, vows to strengthen relations with Russia, in anticipation of the upcoming Putin-Trump summit in Alaska.
In a significant development, Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un have agreed to deepen their strategic partnership amid Russia’s ongoing conflict in Ukraine. This newfound cooperation includes military support from North Korea, with troops and weapons being provided to assist Russia.
The announcement was made following a phone conversation between the two leaders on Tuesday. The discussion took place in a "warm and friendly atmosphere," with Kim Jong Un pledging North Korea's full support for any future actions taken by Russia's leadership.
The Kremlin confirmed the phone conversation, but did not provide specifics about the information shared between the two leaders. However, it is known that Putin shared information about his upcoming talks with U.S. President Donald Trump during the call. The summit in Alaska, scheduled three days after their call, is significant as Trump aims to press Putin to end the Ukraine war.
The timing and disclosure of Putin and Kim’s conversation signal their intent to showcase and possibly use their strengthened ties as part of the geopolitical context around the Alaska summit. The leaders expressed mutual readiness to strengthen future ties, according to the Korean Central News Agency.
The cooperation between North Korea and Russia extends to the battlefield, with North Korean troops reportedly fighting in the Kursk region. Putin praised the Korean People’s Army for their "self-sacrificing spirit" in repelling Ukrainian forces. The Kursk region was seized by Ukrainian forces in August 2024, but was retaken in the spring of an unspecified year with assistance from a North Korean division.
Despite the military cooperation, the conversation between Kim and Putin did not focus on the conflict in the Kursk region. Instead, it was about enhancing cooperation between the two nations. The conversation did not address the topic of North Korea's nuclear program or involve any public criticism or condemnation of any other country or international issues.
As the Putin-Trump summit approaches, the strengthened ties between Russia and North Korea could play a significant role in the negotiations. The two leaders will meet on May 30th, with Trump aiming to press Putin to end the Ukraine war. The exact implications of the strengthened ties between Russia and North Korea remain to be seen.
- The strategic partnership between Russia and North Korea, deepened amid war-and-conflicts in Ukraine, is expected to influence the geopolitical context of the upcoming Putin-Trump summit, as both leaders expressed mutual readiness to strengthen their ties.
- The dynamics of international politics have been reshaped with the recent agreements between Russia and North Korea in politics and general-news, as these cooperative relationships extend to the battlefield, particularly in the Kursk region.
