Putin signs mutual defense agreement with North Korea

In particular, it provides for reciprocal “immediate military aid” in the event of an attack against one of the two countries. Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the mutual defense treaty with North Korea, whose soldiers are already, according to kyiv and Washington, on the verge of joining the Russians fighting Ukrainian forces.

Concluded during a rare visit by Vladimir Putin to Pyongyang in June, this treaty between two beasts of the United States was adopted by the upper house of the Russian Parliament on November 8. The Kremlin published the law ratifying the treaty on its website on Saturday evening.

“Revolutionary document” according to Putin

The agreement formalizes months of deepening security cooperation between the two countries, communist allies throughout the Cold War. Russia and North Korea have grown significantly closer since Russia’s attack on Ukraine began in 2022. The agreement also commits the two countries to cooperate internationally to oppose Western sanctions and coordinate their positions at the United Nations. President Putin in June called the agreement a “revolutionary document.”

Citing intelligence reports, South Korea, Ukraine and the West say North Korea has deployed around 10,000 troops to Russia to fight Ukraine. Asked publicly about the deployment last October, the Russian president did not deny it, instead deflecting the question to criticize Western support for Ukraine.