North Korea and Belarus Strengthen Ties with Friendship Treaty Amid Western Pressure

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko have signed a friendship treaty aimed at deepening ties between their countries. Both leaders are close allies of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The treaty was signed on Thursday during Lukashenko's two-day trip to Pyongyang. He told Kim that relations between their countries were entering a 'fundamentally new stage', according to the Belarusian state news agency Belta.

Lukashenko emphasized the need for independent countries to cooperate closely in today's global transformation, where global powers often ignore and violate international law. Kim expressed opposition to undue pressure on Belarus from the West.

The North Korean leader gave Lukashenko a lavish welcome, including a white-horsed cavalry, flag-waving children, and a 21-cannon salute. Both nations have backed Russia's war in Ukraine.

Kim has reportedly provided Moscow with ammunition and sent soldiers to help Russia expel Ukrainian forces from its western region of Kursk in 2024. Lukashenko allowed Belarus to be used as a launchpad for Russia's invasion in February 2022 and has agreed to allow Russian tactical nuclear missiles on its territory.

The Belarusian leader, in power since 1994, is politically and economically dependent on Putin. North Korea and Belarus conduct a small volume of trade but share long experience of surviving under international sanctions. North Korea has been sanctioned due to its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, and Belarus over its human rights record and backing for Putin in Ukraine.