Russia and North Korea sign mutual defense partnership

Russia and North Korea signed a pact Wednesday in Pyongyang pledging mutual defense if either country is attacked, multiple outlets reported.

The agreement between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un came during the Putin's first trip to North Korea in more than two decades as both counties face increasing animosity from Western countries, including the U.S.

The deal, with political, economic and military cooperation, could be the strongest between Moscow and Pyongyang since the end of the Cold War, AP reported.

Putin's visit also underscored his country's reliance on the pariah state for munitions to fuel its ongoing war with Ukraine, which has support from its own allies.

Kim described the deal as the "strongest ever treaty" between the two countries, per the AP. He said he supported Russia's war in Ukraine.

The two countries' delegations talked for about an hour and a half, followed by two additional hours of discussions between Kim and Putin, per NBC.

Putin said in a news conference following the pledge that the countries want to collaborate on security, trade, investment, and cultural and humanitarian ties, NBC News reported.

"Relations between our countries are entering a new period of high development that cannot be compared even to the Korean-Soviet relationship of last century," Kim said to Putin, per the Kremlin.

Last year, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said North Korea would face consequences if it supplies Russia with arms for the war on Ukraine.

Kim visited Russia last year — his first known visit abroad in more than four years.

For the full original read, visit Axios.