Olena Guseinova, the author of the study, told Bild that “North Korea has given Russia a lot of military support.” “But Moscow seems to be responding slowly and only to a small extent,” she says. “There may be a plan behind this: Moscow is keeping Pyongyang on the hook, which makes them more dependent.”
The article says that North Korea might stay in an unequal relationship for a long time, giving them the chance to test their weapons in real combat situations.
The relationship with Russia, a permanent member of the UN Security Council, could also help North Korea feel less alone.
Lieutenant General Kyrylo Budanov, who is in charge of Ukraine’s military intelligence service, informed the press earlier this year that Russia is helping North Korea modernize its nuclear weapons.
On September 3, the Victory Day parade in Beijing had Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, and Kim Jong Un.
Western policymakers are still worried about the two dictators working together. Most recently, US President Donald Trump said he was worried about Chinese President Xi Jinping meeting with Putin and the North Korean leader during the Victory Day parade in Beijing on September 3.
“Please send my best wishes to Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un as you plot against the United States of America,” Trump said on Truth Social.
During the Prague Defence Summit 2025, NATO leader Mark Rutte argued that the West has an edge over the threat that China, Russia, and North Korea pose to NATO because they are “hand-holding.”
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