9-5-2024 (SEOUL) Amidst heightened global tensions surrounding the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has extended a resolute message of support to Russian President Vladimir Putin, expressing “firm support and solidarity” in commemoration of Victory Day, which marks the 79th anniversary of the end of World War Two. The statement, conveyed through a congratulatory message and reported by the state-run KCNA news agency on Thursday (May 9), underscores the deepening alliance between Pyongyang and Moscow.
As Russia commemorates the Soviet Union’s triumph over Nazi Germany in World War Two, the celebrations take on added significance this year, as relations with the West continue to deteriorate in the wake of the Russian military’s advancement against Ukraine’s Western-backed forces. The conflict, which began with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, has reshaped global geopolitical dynamics and strained diplomatic ties.
In his message to Putin, Kim Jong-un expressed unwavering support for Russia’s cause, stating, “I express firm support and solidarity with the sacred cause of Russia, hoping that you and the brave Russian army and people would win fresh victory in the struggle to defeat the imperialists’ hegemonic policy.” These words carry substantial weight, as they emanate from the leader of a nation that has been accused, alongside Russia, of enabling the conflict through the alleged transfer of weapons to Moscow for use against Ukrainian forces.
Both North Korea and Russia have vehemently denied these accusations, but their vow last year to deepen military relations has raised concerns among Western powers and their allies. The reported evidence of North Korean involvement in the conflict has only added fuel to the fire, with United Nations sanctions monitors informing a Security Council committee in a report seen by Reuters that debris from a missile that landed in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv on January 2 was traced back to a North Korean Hwasong-11 series ballistic missile.
As the war in Ukraine rages on, the global community remains divided, with nations taking sides and alliances being tested. Kim Jong-un’s message of solidarity to Putin on Victory Day serves as a poignant reminder of the complex web of allegiances and rivalries that have emerged in the wake of the conflict.
Analysts and experts have interpreted Kim’s statement as a calculated move to reinforce North Korea’s strategic alignment with Russia, a nation that has long been a close ally and a veto-wielding member of the United Nations Security Council – a crucial asset in shielding Pyongyang from further sanctions and international pressure.
While the full implications of this renewed display of unity between North Korea and Russia remain to be seen, it is clear that the conflict in Ukraine has reverberated far beyond the borders of the region, reshaping global power dynamics and testing the resilience of long-standing alliances.
