What does North Korea get from its blossoming ties with Russia?

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s latest message of reassurance to Russian President Vladimir Putin, coming shortly after Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Pyongyang, constitutes a form of strategic hedging, according to observers.

The letter suggested that Pyongyang-Moscow ties were evolving beyond a largely transactional relationship into a firm military alliance, even as North Korea sought to rekindle its traditional “blood alliance” with China, they said.

In a congratulatory message sent on the occasion of Russia Day on June 12, Kim pledged unwavering support for Moscow’s policies and vowed that North Korea would “always stand together with the Russian Federation”.

The relationship between the two countries was being “further strengthened into sincere and devoted relations of comradely trust and alliance, opening a new chapter of history”, Kim wrote, according to the state-owned Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

He attributed the deepening relationship to both sides honouring their obligations under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty signed during their summit in Pyongyang in June 2024.