Behind Putin and Kim Jong Un’s ‘friendship’ – Isabel T
With Kim recently arriving in Russia and vowing ‘to support Moscow’s sacred fight’, it inevitably brings the question; what exactly is the relationship between these two well known countries, and the potential they hold if an alliance is formed.
One of the many circulations surrounding them is the concern about Russia sharing their technology such as missiles and nuclear submarine systems with North Korea, who are well known for their tough regimes and dismissal of global communication. However, with Trump and Kim’s somewhat recent exchange and a shake of hands after tense interactions about Kim’s nuclear weapons (apparently far enough to reach USA), which Trump threatened with ‘fire and fury like the world has never seen.’ This seemed to have simmered down, after they were pictured shaking hands and strolling together, but still no agreement on the nuclear weapon talks. However, it is unclear whether Biden will follow Trump’s footsteps in an attempted diplomatic relationship with the state.
Instead, it looks as though Putin has stepped up instead, where Russia is hosting an Eastern Economic Forum. It is rumoured that the two leaders discussed the Russia-Ukraine war, and North Korea’s supply of weapons to support the Russian attack. Both leaders also met in 2019 after the failure of nuclear agreements with Trump. The two’s correspondence seemed to have grown within the years, now coming to prominence with Russia’s faltering invasion of Ukraine. Russia had also tried to ‘convince Pyongyang to sell artillery ammunition’ to Russia during another recent visit, in exchange for food and raw materials. Is the relationship based on the exchange of weapons and goods, or is it more in depth than what we can see on the surface?
The USA has commented that they would ‘not hesitate to take action’ if these exchanges of weapons does go ahead. However, Seoul has made a comment that this relationship between the two countries would be unwise on Russia’s part, allowing North Korea to have an advantage over Russia in terms of support and other needs, especially within his nuclear weapons programme and their support system with Beijing. As well as a huge disadvantage for the UN Security Council, of which Russia is a member of. Ultimately, if this diplomatic ‘friendship’ continues, North Korea would result in an advantageous position, strengthening their position in geopolitics, as well as their secrecy about North Korean developments and plans.
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