Kim Jong Un was seen loading an assault rifle gifted by Alexander Lukashenko as the two leaders signed a friendship treaty during a summit in Pyongyang on Thursday, underscoring deepening ties between the two Russia-aligned states.
The two countries signed agreements on cooperation in various sectors, including diplomacy, agriculture, education, and public health, North Korean state media reported.
The North Korean dictator gifted a sword and a large shell vase bearing the image of the Belarusian president during Mr Lukashenko’s visit to the North Korean capital. The Belarus-manufactured assault rifle was among the things Mr Lukashenko gifted Mr Kim.
Mr Lukashenko joked the North Korean leader may need the gift of the rifle “in case enemies appear”, according to a video released by Belarusian state media.
Mr Kim also hosted Mr Lukashenko at an ice-skating show and a formal reception before personally seeing him off at Pyongyang’s airport, according to Belarusian and North Korean reports.
At a banquet, Mr Kim said Mr Lukashenko’s visit, the first of its kind by a Belarusian president since the two countries established diplomatic relations, was meaningful for upgrading bilateral relations between the countries.
Mr Lukashenko arrived for a two-day visit to Pyongyang and signed a new treaty agreeing to co-operate more closely and resist pressure from the US-led West.
Mr Lukashenko told Mr Kim: “I can tell you as a friend, as a person who has already seen everything in this world: a great future awaits your country with this hardworking, disciplined people.”
He said their cooperation is all the more important as “the norms of international law are openly ignored and violated by powers that be”, and they need to band together for “protecting their sovereignty and improving the wellbeing of our citizens”, according to news agency Belta.
The cooperation of two Russian allies is highly significant as it signals a shift towards a more coordinated front among countries confronting Western sanctions, with North Korea and Belarus moving from limited engagement to deeper political, military, and economic alignment.
Their partnership is rooted in support for Russia’s war in Ukraine, with Belarus facilitating the invasion and North Korea reinforcing it with troops and weapons, deepening their alignment against the West.
The two countries are heavily sanctioned by the West for their alleged human rights abuses, while Pyongyang faces UN sanctions for its nuclear weapons programme.
Chang Yoon Jeong, a spokesperson for South Korea’s Unification Ministry, which handles affairs related to North Korea, said the meeting with Mr Lukashenko aligns with Mr Kim’s foreign policy embracing the ideas of a “multipolar world order” and an “anti-West alliance”. The countries could also be pursuing stronger three-way cooperation with Moscow, she said.
