Belarus’s Lukashenko makes first visit to North Korea in bid to deepen ties 

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has begun his first official visit to North Korea, in a bid to strengthen ties between the two countries united by their support for Russia’s war in Ukraine and accusations of authoritarianism and rights violations.

Belarusian state news agency Belta said the two-day visit that kicked off on Wednesday aimed to “identify key areas of mutual interest and the most promising projects for implementation”.

Lukashenko was quoted by Belta as saying “the time has come to step up relations”. “The current situation is simply pushing us into each other’s arms,” he added.

The Belarusian president said they planned to sign a “treaty of friendship” and “about 10 agreements” during the visit.

Kim Jong Un and Lukashenko met in September in Beijing when they attended a military parade at Tiananmen Square, where the North Korean leader reportedly extended an invitation.

In a letter to Lukashenko earlier this month, Kim said he was “willing to expand and develop the traditional relations of friendship and cooperation … to a new, higher stage in line with the demands of the new era”, the North’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported.

The Belarusian leader, in return, said that, “Minsk affirms it has an interest in actively expanding political and economic ties with Pyongyang at all levels.”

North Korea has been under Western sanctions, mostly due to its nuclear weapons programme and missile activity, but also because of its support for Russia’s war against Ukraine.

South Korean and Western intelligence agencies estimated that the North has sent thousands of soldiers to Russia, primarily to the Kursk region, along with artillery shells, missiles and rocket systems.

Analysts say North Korea is receiving financial aid, military technology, food and energy supplies from Russia in return. This has enabled Pyongyang to lessen dependence on its main long-term backer, China.

Russian President Vladimir Putin visited North Korea in 2024 for the first time in 24 years and promised to support Pyongyang in defending its interests against what he called “US pressure, blackmail and military threats”.

During Putin’s trip, North Korea and Russia signed a mutual defence agreement under which the two countries were obliged to provide military assistance if the other was attacked.

International rights organisations accuse the North Korean regime of torture, public executions, prison camps, forced labour and restrictions to the freedom of expression and movement.

Belarus has also moved deeper into Russia’s orbit, after serving as a launchpad for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Lukashenko has come down hard on any dissent inside the country during his three decades in power.

US President Donald Trump has sought to build ties with Belarus in his second term, easing sanctions and welcoming it to his “Board of Peace”.

He also met Kim in his first term and there has been speculation of a rerun when the US president makes his delayed visit to China next month.

Minsk has released dozens of prisoners in recent months, including 250 earlier this month, largely due to US efforts.

But it still holds hundreds of political prisoners in its jails, many of whom were arrested after the 2020 election that saw a landslide victory for Lukashenko, seen as a sham by the opposition.