ROME, June 19. /TASS/. The treaty between Russia and North Korea, which was signed during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Pyongyang, should be considered in the context of a wider strategy of mutual assistance and support Russia is pursuing in its relations with the countries of the global South, an Italian expert told TASS.

"The treaty between Russia and North Korea fits into the general strategy of boosting mutual assistance and support Moscow is pursuing in its relations with various countries of the global South," said Tiberio Graziani, President of Vision & Global Trends, an international think tank.

According to the expert, such an agreement, especially its part on military cooperation, can be seen as a response to the West’s recent actions against both Russia and North Korea.

The agreement, in his words, has a special significance bearing in mind the fact that the two countries have both land and sea borders, since it "facilities the shipment of goods and weapons, if necessary, as well as the deployment of taskforces." "This treaty should also be considered in the context of trilateral relations between Russia, China, and North Korea, which are geared on the diplomatic level toward weakening the sanction pressure exerted by the West, including via the United Nations, on Pyongyang," Graziani noted.

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s talks with North Korea leader Kim Jong Un yielded a treaty on comprehensive strategic partnership, and agreement on cooperation in the areas of medicine, medical education and science, as well as an agreement on the construction of a motor bridge across the River Tumannaya on the border between the two countries.

Putin paid a state visit to Pyongyang on June 18 and 19. It was a return visit at Kim’s invitation. Kim invited Putin to visit North Korea when he was on a visit to Russia in September 2023.