Putin proposes to ratify 'grandiose and great initiative' with North Korea

Russian President Vladimir Putin submitted a bill to the State Duma to ratify the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty between Russia and the DPRK. The treaty was signed by Moscow and Pyongyang in June 2024.

"To ratify the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty between the Russian Federation and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, signed in the city of Pyongyang on June 19, 2024," the text of the draft federal law says.

The DPRK called Article 4 of the agreement key:

"If one of the parties finds itself in a state of war due to an armed attack by one or more states, the other party will immediately provide it with military assistance by all means at its disposal in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter and the laws of the DPRK and the Russian Federation," the article reads.

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted that the provision of the document reflected an "exclusively defensive position.”

In the event of a direct threat of armed aggression, the Russian Federation and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea "agree on possible practical measures to coordinate each other's positions in accordance with the requests of either party and ensure cooperation in eliminating the threat."

The treaty prohibits an agreement with a third country that "threatens the sovereignty and security of the other party." The agreement also stipulates joint measures to strengthen defense potential to prevent conflicts "and ensure regional and international peace and security."

Kim Jong-un previously stated that the treaty helps maintain peace and stability in the region. According to the politician, this "grandiose and great initiative" will guarantee reliable Russian-Korean allied relations "for a hundred years."

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North Korea officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korean Peninsula and borders China and Russia to the north at the Yalu (Amnok) and Tumen rivers, and South Korea to the south at the Korean Demilitarized Zone. The country's western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its eastern border is defined by the Sea of Japan. North Korea, like its southern counterpart, claims to be the sole legitimate government of the entire peninsula and adjacent islands. Pyongyang is the capital and largest city.