President Vladimir Putin's recent tour to North Korea and Vietnam has injected new potential threats into a region already strained by tensions in Taiwan and the South China Sea. During his visit to Pyongyang, Putin received a warm welcome from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, and the two leaders signed a new mutual defense treaty, making Beijing nervous. This growing closeness between Russia and North Korea is likely to make the rest of the world uneasy and may provoke tension with China, historically North Korea's main ally. Putin's visit aimed to rejuvenate old partnerships in a region where Russia is overshadowed by the China-U.S. rivalry. Putin last visited Vietnam in 2017 and North Korea in 2000.
🇷🇺🇨🇳 RUSSIA’S DEAL WITH NORTH KOREA MAY PROVOKE TENSION WITH CHINA Putin’s new defense pact with North Korea has raised concerns about strained relations with China, historically North Korea’s main ally. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Air Force General C.Q. Brown,… https://t.co/8hptV9qnwI
Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un just signed a new defense pact. The new defense treaty demonstrates a growing closeness between the two pariah states that is likely to make the rest of the world uneasy. https://t.co/QB0qpQZ3gJ
THREAD: Russian president Vladimir Putin received the royal treatment from North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un on a visit to Pyongyang, where the two heads of state signed a mutual defense treaty last week. That’s making Beijing nervous. https://t.co/WRe28hMqcj
The tour by Mr. Putin, who last visited Vietnam in 2017 and North Korea in 2000, aimed to rejuvenate old partnerships in a region where Russia is vastly overshadowed by a multi-domain China-U.S. rivalry. https://t.co/uGuv0fouNJ
News Analysis: President Vladimir Putin’s embrace of North Korea and deal-making with Vietnam injected more potential threats into a region strained by tensions in Taiwan and the South China Sea. https://t.co/RCatCMGoN7