North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko signed a “friendship and cooperation” treaty in Pyongyang on Thursday, state media reported. The agreement marks a new phase in bilateral relations, with both leaders emphasising the need for closer cooperation among independent countries in the face of what they described as the violation of international law by major powers.
Lukashenko arrived in the North Korean capital on Wednesday for his first visit, receiving a lavish welcome that included an artillery salute and goose-stepping soldiers before a flag-waving crowd at Kim Il Sung Square. The Belarusian leader also visited the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, where the embalmed bodies of Kim Jong-un’s father and grandfather lie in state, and laid a bouquet on behalf of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Both nations are subject to Western sanctions and have supported Russia’s war in Ukraine. North Korea is estimated to have sent thousands of soldiers and military equipment to Russia, while Belarus served as a launchpad for the 2022 invasion. Analysts believe North Korea receives financial aid, military technology, and energy supplies from Russia in return.
The treaty is expected to enhance cooperation in areas such as agriculture and information technology. Belarusian Foreign Minister Maxim Ryzhenkov noted that trade remains modest but could grow through pharmaceutical and food exports. The visit underscores efforts to build solidarity among nations opposed to the Western-led international order.
