AP: Russia-N. Korea Partnership Deal ‘Strongest Since Cold War’

The Associated Press(AP) said on Wednesday that Russia and North Korea signed a partnership deal that appeared to be the “strongest since the Cold War.” 

The AP presented this assessment after Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un signed a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty, which includes a clause for their countries to support each other if one comes under attack.

While details of the deal were not immediately clear, the AP suggested it could represent the most significant connection between Moscow and Pyongyang since the end of the Cold War.

Bloomberg News said that the deal rekindled an agreement dating back to the Cold War when the Soviet Union was North Korea’s main backer. It said that the deal is also a symbol of their defiance against Western powers, adding that it raises the risks for the U.S. and its partners in responding to provocations from Moscow and Pyongyang. 

British daily The Guardian reported that the inclusion of a mutual defense clause in the comprehensive strategic partnership will heighten Western concerns over growing economic and military ties between North Korea and Russia.

The BBC said the treaty may affect Russia’s war in Ukraine, while CNN stated that the landmark visit by Putin marks a significant boost for Kim, who remains isolated on the world stage and has not hosted another world leader in his capital since the pandemic.