Putin signs mutual defense agreement with North Korea, takes 'alliance' to 'new level'

On Wednesday, Vladimir Putin touched down in Pyongyang for the first time in 24 years to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and discuss collaboration between the two nations. The Russian leader and his North Korean counterpart signed a mutual defense agreement, taking the previous pacts that had been signed in 1961, 2000, and 2001 to "a new level."

As CNN reports, Putin called the deal "comprehensive," explaining that it "includes, among other things, the provision of mutual assistance in the event of aggression against one of the parties to this agreement." What he described as "truly a breakthrough document" also set forth collaboration in "political, trade, investment, cultural spheres, and the security sphere as well." Kim said the "alliance" was a "watershed moment in the development of the bilateral relations."

The Russian leader called the United States' decision to hold military drills alongside South Korea and Japan "hostile toward North Korea," suggesting the nations' actions were "confrontational." 

In response to the move, United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Putin was acting "in desperation, to develop and to strengthen relations with countries that can provide it with what it needs to continue the war of aggression that it started against Ukraine."

His sentiments echoed those of NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, who said, per the Guardian, that the summit showed Putin was "dependent" on his fellow authoritarians. "Their closest friends and the biggest supporters of the Russian war effort," he noted, are "North Korea, Iran, and China."

Prior to meeting with Kim, Putin outlined his intentions in a piece for the Workers' Party paper, the Rodong Sinmun. "Today, as before, Russia and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea are actively advancing their multifaceted partnership," he wrote. "We highly appreciate the DPRK's unwavering support for Russia's special military operation in Ukraine, their solidarity with us on key international matters and willingness to defend our common priorities and views within the United Nations. Pyongyang has always been our committed and like-minded supporter, ready to confront the ambition of the collective West to prevent the emergence of a multipolar world order based on justice, mutual respect for sovereignty and consideration of each other’s interests."