Kim meets with Lukashenko in Pyongyang — agency

Kim Jong Un, the Supreme Leader of North Korea, has reportedly met with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in Pyongyang, according to a report from the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). The high-profile Belarusian delegation accompanying Lukashenko includes Deputy Prime Minister Yury Shuleiko and Foreign Minister Maxim Ryzhenko, signaling a significant diplomatic engagement between the two highly isolated states. This meeting is crucial because it indicates a deepening alignment between two nations heavily sanctioned by the West, likely orchestrated by Moscow as part of a broader strategy to forge an anti-Western front and secure alternative supply chains for military and economic resources. The 'why' extends further to the context of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine War, where both North Korea and Belarus have emerged as key enablers and allies for Russia, suggesting potential discussions on military aid, technology sharing, and circumventing international pressure, thereby challenging global security frameworks and the efficacy of Western deterrence.