Islamabad, 21 June 2024 (TDI): A strategic partnership pact signed by the leaders of Russia and North Korea on Wednesday includes a mutual defense clause under which each country agrees to help the other repel external aggression, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.
“The comprehensive partnership agreement signed today provides, among other things, for mutual assistance in the event of aggression against one of the parties to this agreement,” Putin said.
Putin drew attention to statements by the United States and other NATO countries that have agreed to let Ukraine strike targets inside Russia with Western-supplied weapons.
“This is not just statements; it is already happening, and all this is a gross violation of the restrictions that Western countries have assumed within the framework of various international obligations,” Putin said.
The summit coincided with Putin’s first visit to North Korea in 24 years, amid increasing concerns from the US and its allies about a potential arms deal.
This arrangement would see Pyongyang supplying Moscow with much-needed munitions for its war in Ukraine, in return for economic assistance and technology transfers that could bolster Kim’s nuclear weapons and missile program, heightening the associated threats.
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However, the details of the Russia-North Korea strategic partnership pact were not immediately clear, it could signify the strongest connection between Moscow and Pyongyang since the end of the Cold War.
Both leaders described it as a major enhancement of their relations, encompassing security, trade, investment, and cultural and humanitarian ties.
After spending the night at a state guest house, Putin was welcomed with a ceremony in the city’s main square. The square was filled with what appeared to be tens of thousands of spectators, including children with balloons and people wearing coordinated T-shirts in the red, white, and blue national colors of both countries. Crowds lining the streets chanted “Welcome Putin” and waved flowers and flags.
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