Foreign news: Russia and North Korea have just signed a partnership deal, pledging to strengthen their ties as tensions rise with the West.

Russia and North Korea have recently signed a partnership agreement, vowing to strengthen their relationship as tensions escalate with the West.

Russia and North Korea have recently signed a partnership agreement, vowing to strengthen their relationship as tensions escalate with the West.

On June 19th, Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed a comprehensive strategic partnership during a summit in Pyongyang. The aim of the partnership is to expand economic and military cooperation between the two countries and to solidify a united front against Washington. Putin's visit comes amid growing concerns over an arms arrangement in which North Korea provides Russia with munitions for Moscow's involvement in Ukraine in exchange for economic assistance and technology transfers that could enhance the threat posed by Kim's nuclear weapons and missile program. 

Russian state media reported that Putin and Kim spoke face-to-face for about two hours, longer than the originally planned one-hour meeting. At the start of their talks, Putin thanked Kim for North Korea's support in the war in Ukraine, referring to it as a "fight against the imperialist hegemonistic policies of the U.S. and its satellites against the Russian Federation." He called the agreement a "new fundamental document (that) will form the basis of our ties for the long term." Putin traced the ties between Russia and North Korea back to the Soviet army's role in the Korean Peninsula during the closing moments of World War II, and Moscow's support for Pyongyang during the Korean War.

Kim said that Moscow and Pyongyang's "fiery friendship" is now even closer than during Soviet times, and promised "full support and solidarity to the Russian government, army and people in carrying out the special military operation in Ukraine to protect sovereignty, security interests and territorial integrity."

Kim has used similar language in the past, consistently saying North Korea supports what he describes as a just action to protect Russia's interests and blaming the crisis on the U.S.-led West's "hegemonic policy." Details of the agreement were not initially made public, and it wasn't immediately clear what support North Korea might provide to Russia.

North Korea is under heavy U.N. Security Council sanctions over its weapons program, while Russia also faces sanctions by the United States and its Western partners over its aggression in Ukraine. Kim and Putin met in Pyongyang amid concerns about their military ties. Russian media reported that Kim hosted a reception for Putin, who was expected to leave for Vietnam on the same day. Before the talks, Kim welcomed Putin with a lavish ceremony in the city's main square, introducing key members of the North Korean leadership.

Huge crowds lined the streets to greet Putin's motorcade, chanting "Welcome Putin" and waving flowers and North Korean and Russian flags. Putin was accompanied by several top officials, including Deputy Prime Minister Denis Mantrurov, Defense Minister Andrei Belousov, and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, according to his foreign policy adviser, Yuri Ushakov. U.S. and South Korean officials accuse North Korea of providing Russia with artillery, missiles, and other military equipment for use in Ukraine, possibly in return for key military technologies and aid. Both Pyongyang and Moscow deny these accusations. Along with China, Russia has provided political cover for Kim's continuing efforts to advance his nuclear arsenal, repeatedly blocking U.S.-led efforts to impose fresh U.N. sanctions on North Korea over its weapons tests.

In March, a Russian veto at the United Nations ended monitoring of U.N. sanctions against North Korea over its nuclear program, prompting Western accusations that Moscow is seeking to avoid scrutiny as it buys weapons from Pyongyang for use in Ukraine. U.S. and South Korean officials have said they are discussing options for a new mechanism for monitoring North Korea.

South Korean analysts say that Kim will likely seek stronger economic benefits and more advanced military technologies from Russia, although the details of these discussions with Putin aren't likely to be made public. While Kim's military nuclear program now includes developmental intercontinental ballistic missiles that can potentially reach the U.S. mainland, he may need outside technology help to meaningfully advance his program further. There are possible signs that Russia is assisting North Korea with technologies related to space rockets and military reconnaissance satellites, which Kim has described as crucial for monitoring South Korea and enhancing the threat of his nuclear-capable missiles. The North may also seek to increase labor exports to Russia and engage in other illicit activities to gain foreign currency, in defiance of U.N. Security Council sanctions, according to a recent report by the Institute for National Security Strategy, a think tank run by South Korea's main spy agency. Talks about expanding cooperation in agriculture, fisheries, mining, and promoting Russian tourism to North Korea are also expected.