For subscribers
News analysis
Russia’s defence deal with North Korea shows intention to play greater role in Asian affairs
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
Russian President Vladimir Putin (left) and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at a joint press-conference in Pyongyang, North Korea, on June 19.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
LONDON – Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to North Korea and the signature pact promising “mutual help” in the event of “aggression” against either country underscore Russia’s determination to play a far more prominent role in Asian affairs – one that could offer a counterbalance to China’s regional influence.
Despite Russian claims of a “decades-long friendship” with North Korea, links between the two neighbours have in reality stagnated since the disintegration of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s.
