Putin's visit to North Korea is proof of his dependence on authoritarian countries – NATO Secretary General

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg believes that Russian ruler Vladimir Putin’s upcoming visit to North Korea is evidence of Russia’s increasing dependence on authoritarian countries.

Source: European Pravda with reference to a speech by Stoltenberg at the think tank The Wilson Center in Washington on 17 June

Details: Stoltenberg said that Putin’s visit to North Korea demonstrates how much Putin and Moscow now depend on authoritarian countries all over the world.

Russia’s closest friends – and the biggest admirers of Russian military efforts and war of conquest – are North Korea, Iran and China, the official added.

Asked what measures NATO could take to address cooperation within this "axis of evil", Stoltenberg noted that many sanctions have been imposed on North Korea. The problem is that Russia is now violating these sanctions, he said.

He stated that North Korea has already delivered over 1 million artillery shells, and the flow of weapons continues.

The Kremlin has announced that Putin will visit North Korea on 18-19 June.

Background:

• Russia and North Korea have enhanced their military cooperation over the past year. Moscow has received North Korean ballistic missiles and ammunition and has promised to supply Pyongyang with its own technology for satellite and missile programmes in return.
• Shin Won-sik, Minister of Defence of South Korea, said North Korea has sent containers big enough to hold nearly 5 million artillery shells to Russia.

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