RT reported that on November 29, Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov held talks with North Korean Defense Minister No Kwang-chol, focusing on implementing the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty that Russia and North Korea signed this year.
The treaty "is designed to play a stabilizing role in Northeast Asia, make a positive contribution to maintaining the balance of power in the region and reducing the risk of war breaking out again on the Korean Peninsula, including the use of nuclear weapons, laying the foundation for building a new Eurasian security system," the Russian Defense Minister said at the talks.
Mr. Belousov emphasized that Russia and the DPRK are close neighbors and long-standing friends. The trust-based relationship between the leaders of the two countries plays an important role in promoting Russia-DPRK cooperation.
The Russian Defense Minister pointed out that "the historic meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang in June 2024 demonstrated the highest level of mutual trust," emphasizing that the results of the meeting demonstrated "the common desire of the two countries to further expand mutually beneficial cooperation in the context of the complex international situation."
For his part, North Korean Defense Minister General No Kwang-chol called friendship and interaction between the two countries' militaries a top priority.
"This relationship must be continuously strengthened and developed - that is the long-term stance of our military," General No Kwang-chol stressed.
Mr. No Kwang-chol noted that defense cooperation between the two sides, including high-level delegation exchanges, is being vigorously promoted.
"We appreciate that," Minister No Kwang-chol stressed, expressing his belief that the Russian Defense Minister's official visit to North Korea "is an important moment in exchanging useful and constructive proposals, both to strengthen the defense and security capabilities of the two countries and to promote friendship, cooperation and development between the Russian and North Korean militaries."
The summit comes after claims by the US and its allies that North Korea has sent about 12,000 troops to Russia for training and possible deployment in the conflict in Ukraine. Moscow and Pyongyang have neither confirmed nor denied the reports. Russian President Vladimir Putin said it was up to the two countries, and no one else, to decide whether to fulfill their mutual commitments under the new treaty.
Under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty, Russia and North Korea pledged to support each other in the event of aggression by a third party.
In August, Ukraine launched an incursion into Russia's Kursk region. Western countries said the move was justified because of Ukraine's right to self-defense amid an armed conflict with Russia.
Moscow, meanwhile, views the Ukraine conflict as a US-led proxy war against Russia. Russian officials accuse Washington of repeatedly escalating the situation, including allowing Ukraine to use US-made long-range missiles to strike deep into Russian territory.
"The decision announced earlier this month has made the United States and other countries whose weapons were used by Kiev parties to the conflict," Putin said, saying that without direct involvement from the supplying countries, the Ukrainian army would not have the ability to launch such sophisticated weapons.
