Vladimir Putin has signed a deal with Kim Jong-un that includes a mutual defence pact if either Russia or North Korea is attacked – a move that will alarm Western nations.
Desperate for ammunition and other weapons to fuel his invasion of Ukraine, Putin has sought to deepen ties with another international pariah also under heavy sanctions during his first visit to Pyongyang in 24 years. Kim and Putin signed what they described as the “strongest ever treaty” during the Russian leader’s trip. The deal, which the leaders said covered areas including security, trade, investment, and cultural and humanitarian ties, could mark the strongest connection between Moscow and Pyongyang since the end of the Cold War.
