Russian President Vladimir Putin has formally requested that the State Duma ratify the treaty on comprehensive strategic partnership with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
The treaty was signed during Putin’s trip to Pyongyang in June and includes pledges by Russia and the DPRK to assist each other in case of foreign aggression. The Russian media reported on Monday that the ratification proposal had been registered in the legislature’s docket.
According to the treaty signed by Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, the two countries would “cooperate with each other to ensure lasting regional and international peace and security.”
The explanatory note attached to the bill said lawmakers that Russia and the DPRK are committed to establishing “global strategic stability and a fair multipolar international system,” and are basing their partnership on the “principles of mutual respect for state sovereignty and territorial integrity, non-interference in internal…