Russia and North Korea are once again the center of the planet’s attention after the meeting between the leaders of these countries, Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un, at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia’s Amur region. They shook hands, showed the good harmony between the two and showered each other with praise and toasts “an ancient and great alliance.” The aim of the meeting was to seal an agreement under which Pyongyang would supply Moscow with weapons for the war in Ukraine. A military or nuclear pact that could spell trouble for the West and the rest of the world.
The North Korean leader acknowledged that cooperation between the two countries in a common front against “hostile forces” had risen to the “highest level.” And in recent months, their expressions of loyalty have increased due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. For example, It was the third country to recognize the republics of Donetsk and Luhansk, which were under pro-Russian control, as independent states.
What dangers does a military and nuclear strategy by Russia and North Korea pose for the West?
An alliance between the two could change the course of the conflict in Europe ever since Moscow would secure a stockpile of weapons for use against the Ukrainian army. Its arsenal would far exceed the more than 10 million projectiles Russian troops are estimated to have fired last year, as North Korea has millions of them in stockpile, which, although the failure rate is high, could cause Moscow a heavy sigh. An agreement on ammunition would come at a time when Kiev’s counteroffensive, bolstered by military support from Western countries, is slowing. An ideal time for Moscow to come to the table.
May this agreement continue to thrive, It would be a serious blow not only to Ukraine, but also to surrounding countries. Moldova, Romania and Poland have repeatedly warned that they could be next if Moscow wins on Ukrainian territory.
On the other hand, North Korea would also benefit, for example if there were a nuclear arms race in Asia. Although Russia is a signatory to the international sanctions regime imposed on Pyongyang for its illegal nuclear weapons program, Western sanctions against Moscow and the “clues” emerging from the location of the leaders’ meeting allow Kim to seek access to Russian missile technology, which would improve the range and reliability of North Korea’s nuclear weapons delivery system, as The Economist explains. It would then increase its military importance and could even surpass China, making it the United States’ main Asian rival – a common enemy of Moscow and Pyongyang.
Aside from that, Experts are clear that the alliance would cause a significant flow of fuel and food that would allow the communist country to ease its crisis, industrial machinery or parts. This was already seen during the Soviet era, when it helped the North the most in the Korean War and was a major ally of the Kim regime in the following decades. “During the Cold War, Kim Il-sung always managed to maintain a balance in his relations with Beijing and Moscow, being a good friend to both without relying exclusively on either one, and trying to escape from the enmity between the two Powers to benefit after he came to peace.” Power. by Khrushchev (1953),” Andrés Sánchez Braun, EFE agency correspondent in Korea, told the BBC.
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