Putin and Kim Jong Un agree to offer immediate military assistance in case of attack

Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un have agreed to provide immediate military assistance in the event of an attack on either country, reviving a Cold War-era agreement that is likely to unsettle the United States and its partners.

The two leaders signed the agreement on Wednesday during Putin’s first visit to North Korea in 24 years. Kim called the pact “the most powerful treaty” signed between the two countries and one that upgrades their relations to an alliance.

“If one of the parties is attacked by one or more individual states by armed force and war breaks out, the other party shall immediately provide military and other assistance by all means at its disposal in accordance with Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations and the laws of North Korea and Russia,” the treaty states, according to a text published on Thursday by the official Korean news agency Central News Agency.

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After the signing ceremony, Kim said the agreement was for defensive purposes but increased the risks for the United States and its partners in responding to provocations from Moscow and Pyongyang and was a symbol of their disrespect for Western powers.

The pact, called the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement, also states that Russia and North Korea have agreed to work together to strengthen their defense capabilities while expanding cooperation in trade and investment.

Putin’s trip came after Kim traveled to Russia in September. Satellite images later showed that there was a massive increase in arms deliveries. Putin was last in Pyongyang in 2000 as Russian president. Moscow and Pyongyang have denied the arms deliveries, although there is ample evidence of them.