Pyongyang, 27 March (H.S.):

North Korea and Belarus have publicly aligned themselves with Russia’s war in Ukraine, as Pyongyang and Minsk signalled a new depth in their own partnership. The two countries formally declared their support for Moscow’s campaign in Ukraine and used the occasion to ink a treaty of friendship and cooperation during a high‑profile summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong‑un and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. The announcement was carried by North Korea’s state media on Friday, days after the two‑day summit concluded in the capital, Pyongyang.

According to the Korean Central News Agency, Lukashenko arrived in Pyongyang on Wednesday at Kim’s invitation for his first official visit to North Korea. The Belarusian leader, who has allowed Moscow to use Belarusian territory as a staging ground for its invasion of Ukraine, stayed for two days of talks that culminated in the signing of the friendship‑and‑cooperation pact on Thursday.

KCNA quoted Lukashenko as saying that Pyongyang‑Minsk relations had now entered a “new stage” of development, while Kim expressed solidarity with Lukashenko’s stance against what he described as “unlawful pressure from the West.”

The summit also served as a platform to reaffirm backing for Russia’s war against Ukraine. Both governments reiterated their support for Moscow’s actions and used the narrative of Western domination to justify closer ties between their own states. On the economic and diplomatic front, the two sides signed a series of additional agreements on cooperation in diplomacy, agriculture, public health, education and other sectors, deepening institutional linkages between the two countries. Leaders also discussed plans to step up high‑level exchanges and collaboration across multiple fields, including trade and technology.

Kim and Lukashenko were photographed together at several ceremonial events, including the viewing of an ice‑rink performance and the exchange of symbolic gifts. The North Korean leader hosted a dinner banquet in Lukashenko’s honour at the close of the visit, underscoring the diplomatic weight attached to the occasion. After the summit, Lukashenko left Pyongyang on his private jet from Pyongyang International Airport, with Kim reportedly present to see him off.

North Korea and Belarus first established diplomatic relations in 1992 and have since operated a joint trade and economic cooperation committee since 1995. The 2026 treaty marks a significant upgrade in that relationship, timed against a broader realignment of Moscow’s allies in the face of Western sanctions and military pressure.

The move underlines how smaller states on the margins of the Russia‑Ukraine war are now formalising their role inside a broader anti‑Western geopolitical bloc.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar