Pyongyang, North Korea. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in Pyongyang on Wednesday, marking the visit with a white-horse cavalry and a 21-gun salute. Belarus said the two sides would sign a friendship and cooperation treaty during Lukashenko’s two-day trip.
Ceremonial welcome in Pyongyang
Kim greeted Lukashenko with an embrace and a welcome ceremony featuring ranks of soldiers, cavalry and a 21-gun salute, after flag-waving children cheered Lukashenko’s arrival at the airport.
Context of ties to Russia and the war in Ukraine
Kim has provided Moscow with millions of rounds of ammunition for its war in Ukraine and sent troops to help Russia expel Ukrainian forces who invaded its western Kursk region.
Lukashenko allowed Belarus to be used as a launchpad for Russia’s invasion in February 2022, and later agreed to host Russian tactical nuclear missiles on Belarusian territory, which borders three NATO alliance countries.
Planned agreement and trade outlook
Belarusian Foreign Minister Maxim Ryzhenkov told Belarusian state media that a friendship and cooperation treaty would be signed during the visit. Ryzhenkov said current trade was “modest,” but there was potential to increase it in areas including food and pharmaceuticals.
Reactions and sanctions background
Valery Tsepkalo, an exiled opponent of Lukashenko, said there was no substance to the summit beyond a display of solidarity, adding that there would be no benefit to Belarus or North Korea and that they were showing they were not isolated.
North Korea and Belarus have faced years of external economic pressure, with North Korea under U.N. sanctions over its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes and Belarus subject to Western sanctions over its human rights record and backing for Putin in Ukraine. Ryzhenkov was quoted as saying the situation was pushing the two countries toward each other as they looked for “loyal” and “reliable” friends.
What do you think the planned treaty could change in relations between North Korea and Belarus?
