Putin and Kim Jong-un sign 'peaceful and defensive' pact between Russian and North Korea
Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un have signed a comprehensive agreement pact between Russia and North Korea, which Kim described as “peaceful and defensive” and which Putin said did not rule out “the provision of mutual assistance in the event of aggression against one of the parties to this agreement.”
Speaking after lengthy talks, Putin said the pair discussed world affairs and the global agenda a lot, and that Moscow and Pyongyang stood together against the politically motivated sanctions regimes of others.
Kim described Putin as “the dearest friend of the Korean people”, saying that “At this moment, when the whole world is paying close attention to Pyongyang, where the friendship mission from Russia has arrived, I stand with Russian comrades – our most honest friends and comrades.”
The two leaders hold a press conference. Photograph: Gavriil Grigorov/Reuters
The Kremlin’s website indicated that the agreementalso included “cooperation in the field of healthcare, medical education and science”. Putin said that North Korea had a right to defend itself, and that “The Russian Federation does not rule out military-technical cooperation with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in accordance with the document signed today.”
Putin also laid a wreath at a monument to soldiers of the Sovier Union who lost their lives liberating the Korea peninsula from Japanese occupation. It is the Russian president’s first visit to North Korea for over two decades, and he will later head to Vietnam.
The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, and the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, have signed a pact that includes a clause requiring the countries to come to each other’s aid if either is attacked. The inclusion of a mutual defence clause in their comprehensive strategic partnership, which Kim described as an “alliance”, will add to the west’s alarm over growing economic and military ties between North Korea and Russia
It was not immediately clear what form that support might take, and no details of the agreement were made public. Putin later described the pact as “defensive”, citing North Korea’s right to defend itself, Tass reported. He added that Russia would not rule out developing military-technical cooperation with North Korea
Putin’s visit has been closely watched by the US and South Korea amid concern that growing military cooperation between the isolated, sanctions-hit states could boost the Kremlin’s war effort in Ukraine and add to tensions on the Korean peninsula. In Washington, the US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, said Putin’s visit highlighted Russia’s attempts, “in desperation, to develop and to strengthen relations with countries that can provide it with what it needs to continue the war of aggression that it started against Ukraine”
While in North Korea, Putin gave a luxury car to Kim as a present, which the pair took turns to drive after the agreement signing ceremony. Putin also laid a wreath at a monument to Soviet Union soldiers who fell during the liberation of the Korean peninsular from Japanese occupation
Tens of thousands of spectators had packed into the square, including children holding balloons and people wearing coordinated T-shirts in the red, white and blue of the Russian and North Korean flags. Speaking at the start of the talks, Putin thanked Kim for North Korea’s support for his war in Ukraine, calling it part of a wider “fight against the imperialist hegemonistic policies of the US and its satellites against the Russian Federation”
Kim Jong-un welcomes Vladimir Putin at official ceremony in Pyongyang – video
Neither the governments of Russia or North Korea have so far released a full text of the agreement that has been signed. Russia state-owned media Tass does have an summary of some of the key messages from Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un, and it includes this section on international security and relations. Tass writes:
Security issues and the international agenda “occupied significant attention at the negotiations” Russia and the DPRK “consistently defend the idea of forming a more just and democratic, multipolar world order,” which should be based on international law and cultural and civilizational diversity.
Moscow and Pyongyang’s assessments regarding the root causes of the escalation of military-political tensions coincide: “This is the confrontational policy of the US to expand its military infrastructure in the subregion.” Such steps undermine peace and stability and pose a threat to all countries of Northeast Asia.
Moscow rejects “attempts to blame the DPRK for the worsening situation.” Pyongyang has the right to “take reasonable measures” to strengthen its own defence capabilities, ensure national security and protect sovereignty.
The negotiations held in Pyongyang “will contribute to the further development of friendship and partnership between Russia and the DPRK, strengthening security in the entire region.”
The dinner reception is, Tass reports, expected to feature the two leaders giving toasts, and follows a gala concert.
Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un attend a gala concert in Pyongyang, 19 June. Photograph: Gavriil Grigorov/AFP/Getty Images
Russian presidential assistant Yuri Ushakov informed the media that after the dinner, the visit is practically over. The two leaders will visit the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity, an Eastern Orthodox built in Pyongyang in the early 2000s. Putin will then depart for Hanoi for a visit to Vietnam.
Earlier, Putin gave Kim a luxury Russian car as a gift, and the pair drove away from the signing ceremony and press briefing with Putin behind the wheel.
Putin and Kim in the luxury Russian car. Photograph: Gavriil Grigorov/AFP/Getty Images
Pictures issued from the visit show that Kim also took a turn driving the car.
Another picture from the visit shows Kim driving the car with Putin in the passenger seat. Photograph: Gavriil Grigorov/Reuters
Justin McCurry reports for the Guardian from Tokyo
The inclusion of a mutual defence clause in their comprehensive strategic partnership, finalised on Wednesday after hours of talks in the North Korean capital Pyongyang, will add to alarm in the West over growing economic and military ties between North Korea and Russia.
It wasn’t immediately clear what form that support might take, and no details of the agreement were initially made public. Vladimir Putin later described the pact as “defensive”, citing North Korea’s right to defend itself, according to Tass. He added that Russia would not rule out developing military-technical cooperation with North Korea.
Speaking after a signing ceremony, Kim Jong-un called the deal the “strongest ever treaty” signed between the two countries, elevating their relationship to the level of an alliance. The pact would lead to closer political, economic and military cooperation, he was quoted as saying.
He hailed the agreement as a “significant and historic moment”, adding, “I have no doubt it will become a driving force accelerating the creation of a new multipolar world.”
In Washington, the US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, had earlier said Putin’s visit highlighted Russia’s attempts, “in desperation, to develop and to strengthen relations with countries that can provide it with what it needs to continue the war of aggression that it started against Ukraine”.
Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov has confirmed the agreement signed between Russia and North Korea contains a mutual defence clause, telling Russian media:
In accordance with article four of the treaty, there is an agreement to provide assistance to each other in the event of aggression against any contracting country.
Kremlin: Moscow and Pyongyang cooperation is 'for the benefit of ourselves' and 'not directed against any third countries'
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has said accusations that Russia and North Korea are building an anti-western alliance are completely incorrect.
Russian state-owned media Tass reports Peskov told newspaper Izvestia:
Virtually everything they [the West] do is, in one way or another, directed against us. And we, on the contrary, are building relationships, especially with our neighbours. Not against anyone, but for the benefit of ourselves. For the benefit of the interests of the peoples of our two countries. Russian-Korean cooperation is not directed against any third countries.
The west has accused North Korea of supplying armaments to Russia in order to bolster its supplies since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Putin and Kim Jong-un sign 'peaceful and defensive' pact between Russian and North Korea
Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un have signed a comprehensive agreement pact between Russia and North Korea, which Kim described as “peaceful and defensive” and which Putin said did not rule out “the provision of mutual assistance in the event of aggression against one of the parties to this agreement.”
Speaking after lengthy talks, Putin said the pair discussed world affairs and the global agenda a lot, and that Moscow and Pyongyang stood together against the politically motivated sanctions regimes of others.
Kim described Putin as “the dearest friend of the Korean people”, saying that “At this moment, when the whole world is paying close attention to Pyongyang, where the friendship mission from Russia has arrived, I stand with Russian comrades – our most honest friends and comrades.”
The two leaders hold a press conference. Photograph: Gavriil Grigorov/Reuters
The Kremlin’s website indicated that the agreementalso included “cooperation in the field of healthcare, medical education and science”. Putin said that North Korea had a right to defend itself, and that “The Russian Federation does not rule out military-technical cooperation with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in accordance with the document signed today.”
Putin also laid a wreath at a monument to soldiers of the Sovier Union who lost their lives liberating the Korea peninsula from Japanese occupation. It is the Russian president’s first visit to North Korea for over two decades, and he will later head to Vietnam.
Reuters reports that in his speech after the meeting with Vladimir Putin, North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un has said the relationship between their two nations was raised to an alliance, with a pact that is peaceful and defensive, and the countries would expand mutual cooperation in politics, the economy and militarily.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has described Vladimir Putin as “the dearest friend of the Korean people” in comments after the two leaders met. It was Putin’s first visit to North Korean for over two decades, although the North Korean leader made a rare foreign trip to see Putin in Russia last year.
Russian state-media Tass reports that Kim said:
At this moment, when the whole world is paying close attention to Pyongyang, where the friendship mission from Russia has arrived, I stand with Russian comrades – our most honest friends and comrades, in this ceremonial hall.
Tass reports Kim said the two nations had signed a “most powerful agreement” which had been made possible by the “outstanding foresight” of “the dearest friend of the Korean people”, Putin.
Russian president Vladimir Putin has said that Russia and North Korea stand against politically motivated sanctions regimes. He said that talks with Kim Jong-un discussed world affairs and the global agenda a lot, and that the agreement the two countries have signed is of a defensive and peaceful nature. He said that North Korea has a right to defend itself.
The Kremlin’s website has indicated that the agreement signed by Russian and North Korea includes “cooperation in the field of healthcare, medical education and science”.
Vladimir Putin is speaking after his meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang.
Russian state-owned media Tass reports he has said:
The comprehensive partnership agreement signed today also provides for the provision of mutual assistance in the event of aggression against one of the parties to this agreement.
Putin has also said
The Russian Federation does not rule out military-technical cooperation with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in accordance with the document signed today.
Tass is posting updates from the press briefing in Russian on its Telegram channel as it takes place.
