While Vladimir Putin has actively bolstered ties with Pyongyang, Beijing—traditionally North Korea’s primary ally—is increasingly concerned about being sidelined in this partnership.
Putin is on his first trip to North Korea in 24 years, a visit likely to reshape decades of Russia-North Korea relations at a time when both countries face international isolation.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un extended an invitation to Putin during a visit to Russia's Far East last September. Putin last visited Pyongyang in July 2000.
The joint statement comes a week after North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong Un visited Russia, triggering global concerns about potential weapons transfer deals between the two countries.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has not yet reacted to Kim-Putin meeting, but he would be in a dilemma. China won't be happy with North Korea’s renewed relations with Russia.
This year, Pyongyang's relations with Moscow are in the spotlight, with Kim Jong Un choosing Russia - not China - as his first foreign visit since before the Covid pandemic.
General MM Naravane’s memoir—Four Stars of Destiny—reveals that he was left hanging by political leadership for more than two hours as Chinese tanks drove towards Indian positions.
The key to fighting a war successfully, or even launching it, is a clear objective. That’s an entirely political call. It isn’t emotional or purely military.
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