Putin pledges arms to North Korea in defiant move against NATO

Russian President Vladimir Putin's recent visit to Pyongyang has sent a powerful and alarming signal to the West.

Amid the intensifying confrontation with the US and its allies over Ukraine, Putin's actions indicate a new level of willingness to challenge Western interests, Caliber.Az writes, citing US media. 

During this visit, Putin signed a pact with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, which envisions mutual military assistance between Moscow and Pyongyang in the event of an attack on either nation. For the first time, Putin also announced that Russia might provide weapons to the isolated country. This potential arms transfer could destabilize the Korean Peninsula and have far-reaching consequences.

Putin justified the possible arms shipments as a countermeasure to NATO allies supplying Ukraine with longer-range weapons capable of attacking Russian targets. He declared bluntly that Moscow has nothing to lose and is prepared to go “to the end” to achieve its objectives in Ukraine.

This development has heightened concerns in Washington and Seoul. Observers fear that the alliance between Russia and North Korea could result in Pyongyang supplying Moscow with much-needed munitions for its war in Ukraine. In return, North Korea could receive economic assistance and technology transfers, potentially enhancing the threat posed by Kim's nuclear weapons and missile programs.