Russia and North Korea vow closer ties as rivalry deepens with West
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00:00While President Putin seeks ammunition to fill his war chest, Kim, meanwhile, needs
00:05the basics, food and fuel, and he surely also harbours hope that Russia will share some
00:11of its military and nuclear technology, too.
00:14Together, they project a kind of alternative collaboration that's possible for these de
00:20facto pariah states on the international scene.
00:23Indeed, we've already seen quite the elaborate welcome for President Putin in Pyongyang.
00:27We had the red carpet, the red roses lining the streets, the flags plastered all over
00:32central Pyongyang, as well as the crowds we've seen in the iconic Kim Il-sung Square with
00:38the colourful balloons to welcome President Putin.
00:42This is the visual.
00:43Who does it worry the most?
00:45Well, firstly, Ukraine and its allies in Europe.
00:47The full-scale war has now been going on for almost two and a half years, and any help
00:51that Russia gets could have concrete implications on the ground.
00:55The North Korean ammunition stockpile isn't infinite, though, so they're going to have
00:58to find ways to produce more if they are to help more.
01:02South Korea, meanwhile, also concerned about any help Pyongyang can get from anyone.
01:07Seoul has just urged Beijing to play a more constructive role.
01:12And finally, this visit also irks Washington, too, because of its potentially destabilizing
01:17nature for the rest of the world.
01:18Now, whatever European, American or South Korean red lines Putin and Kim cross, they're
01:24unlikely to cross any of Beijing's.
01:27Whether their deals end up as a nuisance or, on the contrary, rather a convenient outcome
01:32for China, they probably won't be a major surprise for any of the top leaders here in
01:37Beijing.