Putin signs treaty with North Korea, strengthening military ties amid Ukraine conflict

Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un during their meeting Pyongyang, North Korea, on June 19, 2024. (AP)

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a law ratifying a strategic partnership treaty with North Korea, which includes a mutual defence agreement. The decree, published on Saturday, follows the summit between Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang this June. The treaty, which has now passed through Russia’s parliamentary process, promises that both countries will provide military assistance to each other in the event of an armed attack.
The treaty’s ratification strengthens the relationship between Moscow and Pyongyang, particularly since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Reports from both South Korea and Western intelligence suggest that North Korea has already supplied Russia with arms, with Ukrainian investigators claiming to have found evidence of North Korean weaponry at sites hit by Russian forces.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has confirmed reports that North Korean soldiers have been deployed to Russia, with around 11,000 troops reportedly sent to the southern Kursk region. These troops have allegedly been involved in combat with Ukrainian forces, though Russia has not publicly acknowledged their presence. South Korea’s Ministry of Defence has similarly stated that approximately 10,000 North Korean soldiers are now stationed in Russia, some of whom have been deployed to frontline areas.
The treaty, which was ratified by both houses of the Russian parliament, pledges that if either country is attacked, the other will provide all necessary military and other assistance, in line with Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, which permits collective self-defence.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian military faces increasing challenges as Russian forces advance in key areas, particularly around the Donetsk region, where they have captured multiple villages. Ukrainian commanders have warned that North Korean troops may soon join Russian forces in the ongoing offensive.
The United States has expressed concern over the growing military cooperation between Russia and North Korea, with US secretary of state Antony Blinken confirming the deployment of North Korean soldiers to Russian battlefields. In response, President Zelenskyy has called for enhanced air defence systems from European allies to counter the mounting threat.