Russia, North Korea say they've strengthened ties, including mutual defence pact

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a deal with North Korea's Kim Jong-un on Wednesday in Pyongyang that included a mutual defence pledge, one of Russia's most significant moves in Asia for years that Kim said amounted to an "alliance."

Moscow could develop military and technical co-operation with the North Koreans, Putin said, linking the deepening ties to the West's growing support for Ukraine two years after Russian troops invaded the country.

"The comprehensive partnership agreement signed today provides, among other things, for mutual assistance in the event of aggression against one of the parties to this agreement," Putin said.

Kim said the pact would expand co-operation in politics, economy and defence, calling it "strictly peace-loving and defensive" in nature. He expressed "unconditional support" for "all of Russia's policies," including Putin's war with Ukraine, which has led to a host of U.S.-led Western sanctions.

Depending on the exact wording of the pact, which was not released, it could be a dramatic shift in the strategic balance in Northeast Asia by placing Russia's heft behind North Korea, which was founded in 1948 with Soviet Union backing. Officials in the U.S. and South Korea haveexpressed concerns about the deepening ties ahead of this week's summit.

While North Korea has a defence treaty with China, it does not have active military collaboration with Beijing like it has developed with Russia over the past year, with Kim making a rare trip outside his country to see Putin last September. China had no immediate response to the visit.

West concerned about weapons transfers

In a signal that Russia, a veto-wielding member of the UN Security Council, is reassessing its approach to North Korea, Putin praised Pyongyang ahead of his arrival for resisting what he said was U.S. economic pressure, blackmail and threats.

In an article for North Korea's official ruling party newspaper, he promised to "develop alternative trade and mutual settlement mechanisms not controlled by the West" and "build an equal and indivisible security architecture in Eurasia."

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Russia has used its warming ties with North Korea to needle Washington, while heavily sanctioned North Korea has won political backing and promises of economic support and trade from Moscow.

The United States and its allies say they fear Russia could provide aid for North Korea's missile and nuclear programs, which are banned by UN Security Council resolutions, and have accused Pyongyang of providing ballistic missiles and artillery shells that Russia has used in its war in Ukraine.

Moscow and Pyongyang have denied weapons transfers.

Striking Russian targets a 'gross violation': Putin

Putin drew attention to statements by the United States and other NATO countries, which have agreed to let Ukraine strike targets inside Russia with Western-supplied weapons.

"This is not just statements; it is already happening, and all this is a gross violation of the restrictions that Western countries have assumed within the framework of various international obligations," Putin said.

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After Putin's arrival in Pyongyang was delayed by hours, he emerged from his plane at a pre-dawn hour and was greeted by Kim on the red carpet alone, without the grand ceremony the North put on for Chinese President Xi Jinping on his 2019 visit.

An honour guard including mounted soldiers, and a large crowd of civilians gathered at the Kim Il Sung Square by the Taedong River running through the capital in a grand welcome ceremony for Putin. The scene included children holding balloons and giant portraits of the two leaders with national flags adorning the square's main building.

Kim and Putin then rode to the Kumsusan Palace for the summit talks.

State media photos showed streets of Pyongyang lined with portraits of Putin, and the facade of the unfinished and vacant 101-story pyramid-shaped Ryugyong Hotel brightly lit with a giant message "Welcome Putin."

At the end of the day's proceedings, the two leaders took turns driving each other around in a Russian-built Aurus limousine after the Kremlin said Putin had gifted one of the luxury vehicles to Kim.

The Russian leader previously visited in North Korea in 2000, when Kim's father, Kim Jong Il, was dictator.

Putin is subject to an arrest warrant over the Ukraine invasion, issued by the International Criminal Court, but neither North Korea nor Vietnam where the Russian leader is headed next are signatories to the court's charter.