Putin's Historic Visit to North Korea: Strengthening Military Ties and Strategic Alliances

A report by Ahmad Abdallah, English adaptation by Nadine Sassine

With Russian flags and welcoming banners, Pyongyang greeted Russian President Vladimir Putin, who arrived in North Korea for a first of its kind visit in 24 years. The visit was described as eventful by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's assistant, who signed a new strategic partnership agreement with Putin.

Through this agreement, Putin aims to secure arms supplies from North Korea to bolster the capabilities of the Russian military, signaling Moscow's desire to strengthen its international alliances against the West. This move represents the clearest evidence of Moscow's intention to ally with Pyongyang, despite previously supporting international sanctions against North Korea due to its nuclear and missile programs.

With this visit, Putin aims to achieve three objectives with one move. The first is to secure military support to meet the needs created by the war in Ukraine. The second is to reduce Russia's international isolation by building new alliances with countries opposing Western dominance. The third is to balance power, as Putin believes that strengthening ties with North Korea can enhance Russia's negotiating position against the West, especially under the current sanctions.

The most urgent goal for Putin is military support. North Korea is one of the largest producers of conventional weapons in the world. Despite international sanctions, Pyongyang has a substantial stockpile of weapons and ammunition that could significantly boost Russia's military capabilities. Observers note that Pyongyang has already sent millions of rounds of conventional ammunition to Moscow, along with multi-use missiles.

Naturally, this visit has alarmed both allies and adversaries, including South Korea, North Korea's arch-enemy, as well as the United States and its allies. They have expressed concerns about deepening ties between Moscow and Pyongyang, with Washington warning of additional sanctions on North Korea if it is found to be providing military support to Moscow.