- Kim Jong Un and Alexander Lukashenko signed a friendship treaty during a summit in Pyongyang, underscoring deepening ties between the two Russia-aligned states.
- The leaders exchanged gifts, with Mr Lukashenko presenting an assault rifle to Mr Kim, who in turn gifted a sword and a large shell vase.
- The two countries agreed to cooperate in various sectors, including diplomacy, agriculture, education, and public health.
- Mr Lukashenko's visit, the first by a Belarusian president to North Korea since the two countries established diplomatic relations, signals a shift towards a more coordinated front against Western sanctions.
- Their partnership is rooted in support for Russia's war in Ukraine and aims to resist pressure from the US-led West, aligning with an "anti-West alliance" and "multipolar world order".
IN FULL
