Photo: Russian President Vladimir Putin (left) met with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang on the 19th. \AFP

Russian President Vladimir Putin visited North Korea again on the 19th after 24 years and held talks with Kim Jong-un, General Secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea and Chairman of the State Affairs Commission. The leaders of the two countries signed the Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership on the same day, stipulating that when one party is invaded by another country, the other party must provide assistance. Putin said that he did not rule out the possibility of developing military and technological cooperation with North Korea. US media said that Russia and North Korea signed the treaty to expand economic and military cooperation between the two countries and consolidate the united front against the United States. Since the treaty includes a “mutual defense clause”, the outside world is closely watching what impact it will have on the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the situation on the Korean Peninsula.

Putin arrived at Pyongyang International Airport in the early morning of the 19th local time, and Kim Jong-un went to the airport to greet him. After meeting, the two shook hands, hugged, and talked for several minutes. Kim Jong-un said that he was very happy to see Putin again in Pyongyang after more than 270 days. Putin then invited Kim Jong-un to take his presidential car, a Russian-made “Aurus”, to the Kumsusan Guesthouse.

The two countries jointly resist US hegemony

On the morning of the 19th, Kim Jong-un held a grand welcoming ceremony for Putin at Kim Il-sung Square in Pyongyang. The two leaders then held a large-scale summit and a one-on-one meeting. According to Russian News Agency, the one-on-one meeting was originally scheduled for only about an hour, but it actually took about two and a half hours.

During the talks, Kim Jong-un appreciated Russia’s important role in maintaining world strategic stability and balance, and said that the DPRK will unconditionally support all Russian policies, including fully supporting Russia’s special military operations in Ukraine to safeguard sovereignty, security interests and territorial integrity. Kim Jong-un described the relationship between the two countries as entering a new period of high prosperity, even better than the Soviet-DPRK relationship in the last century, and believed that the friendship between the two countries will be strengthened overall during Putin’s visit.

Putin said that the interaction between Russia and North Korea is based on equality and mutual respect for each other’s interests. He highly appreciated North Korea’s support for Russia, including on the Ukraine issue, and stressed that Russia and North Korea jointly oppose the hegemony and imperialism of the United States and its allies. Putin said that he hopes that the next meeting with Kim Jong-un will be held in Moscow.

The two leaders signed the Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership after the meeting. Putin said that the treaty is a breakthrough document that will elevate cooperation between Russia and North Korea to a new level and will become the basis for the long-term relationship between the two countries in the future. The treaty stipulates that when any party is invaded, the other party will provide assistance to it. Russia does not rule out the possibility of developing military and technical cooperation with North Korea based on the treaty.

Russia-North Korea cooperation stimulates the West

Russian presidential aide Ushakov said that the Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership complies with all basic principles of international law, is not confrontational in nature, and is not directed against any country. It aims to ensure greater stability in Northeast Asia. Russian News Agency analyzed that the promotion of strategic partnership between Russia and North Korea is very important for the two countries to jointly cope with increasing security risks. The US military activities in Northeast Asia have escalated sharply, and the US, Japan and South Korea have frequently held large-scale joint military exercises in the region. It is natural for the Russian and North Korean leaders to focus on strengthening the defense capabilities of the two countries during the meeting.

The Kremlin said that representatives of Russia and North Korea signed an intergovernmental agreement on the construction of a cross-border highway bridge across the Tumen River, as well as an intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in the fields of health care, medical education, science and other fields.

In an interview after the meeting, Ushakov said that during the gift-exchanging session, Putin presented Kim Jong-un with a Russian-made “Aurus” car, an admiral’s dagger and a set of tea sets, while Kim Jong-un presented Putin with several pieces of art with Putin’s image.

The meeting between Putin and Kim Jong-un attracted global attention. White House spokesman Jean-Pierre said on the 18th that the deepening relationship between Russia and North Korea should cause deep concern to everyone. Many Western countries have been claiming that Russia has purchased and used weapons produced in North Korea for its war against Ukraine.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zakharova said on the 19th that Russia is part of the Asia-Pacific region and has the right to formulate its own policies in the region. She stressed that compared with NATO members, Asian countries have adopted a more responsible attitude to build current international relations.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian pointed out in response to relevant questions on the 19th that as friendly neighbors, Russia and North Korea have normal needs for exchanges, cooperation and development of relations, and relevant high-level exchanges are bilateral arrangements between the two sovereign states.

(RIA Novosti/CNN)