Moscow has ratified a bilateral strategic security treaty with Pyongyang

Russian President Vladimir Putin has finalized the ratification of a strategic partnership agreement that he and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un signed during his visit to Pyongyang in June.

The Russian State Duma, the lower chamber of parliament, unanimously approved the treaty late last month, and the upper house, the Federation Council, did the same on November 6. Putin gave his final stamp of approval on Saturday, according to the official portal of the country’s legislature.

The document signed by the Russian president, dated November 9, ratifies the “Comprehensive Partnership Agreement between the Russian Federation and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, signed in Pyongyang on June 19, 2024.” The treaty will officially come into force once Moscow and Pyongyang exchange the instruments of ratification.

The treaty includes pledges by Russia and North Korea to assist each other in the event of foreign aggression. According to the agreement signed by Putin and Kim, the two countries will “cooperate with each other to ensure lasting regional and international peace and security.”

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The document contains an article stating that “if one of the parties is subjected to an armed attack by any state or several states and thus finds itself in a state of war, the other party will immediately provide military and other assistance by all means at its disposal in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter” and national legislation.

Moscow and Pyongyang also pledged not to sign any agreements with third parties directed against each other’s “sovereignty, security, territorial integrity, the right to free choice, and the development of political, social, economic, and cultural systems, as well as other key interests.”

Another article expresses the opposition of Russia and North Korea to Western sanctions, describing them as the “application of unilateral coercive measures, including those of an extraterritorial nature,” which are deemed illegal and contrary to international law and the UN Charter. Moscow and Pyongyang have pledged not to impose such sanctions against each other.

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North Korea’s Foreign Minister, Choe Son-hui, stated earlier this month that Pyongyang will support Moscow in its conflict with Kiev for as long as necessary, adding that it has no doubts about Russia’s eventual victory.

Ukraine and Western countries have accused North Korea of sending troops to Russia and are concerned they may eventually join the conflict. North Korea has denied these allegations, claiming they are an attempt to tarnish Pyongyang’s image. Putin has neither confirmed nor denied the claims, adding that the specifics of cooperation between the two countries are nobody else’s business.