(StraightNews.org) – The United States has sent a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to South Korea as a demonstration of military strength intended for hostile North Korea. The USS Theodore Roosevelt docked in Busan after South Korea’s President complained to Russian leader Vladimir Putin about a deal he struck with North Korea’s dictator Kim Jong Un, promising mutual assistance.
South Korea said the arrangement threatened its security and hinted it might respond by providing assistance to Ukraine, which, analysts say, would significantly harm relations between Seoul and Moscow.
North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency released details of the new Russian agreement with North Korea. It said if either country finds itself in a state of war, the other will deploy all available resources to assist “without delay.” The agreement referenced the need to adhere to the requirements of Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, which recognizes countries’ right to self-defense.
The two leaders signed the deal in Pyongyang, marking a significant increase in bilateral relations between the otherwise isolated statesmen. Western sanctions on Putin have increasingly stifled his ability to perform globally, and he has reached out to allies, most notably the North Korean dictator.
Political analysts say China is closely watching the development of Putin’s and Kim Jong Un’s relationship. China’s Xi Jinping has also pledged friendship with North Korea and visited Kim Jong Un in 2019, becoming the first Chinese leader to do so.
Nevertheless, China is believed to have concerns about Kim’s growing military capabilities, which it worries could destabilize the region. Liu Dongshu from the University of Hong Kong, said, “China aims to control the situation and prevent escalation, but it also does not want North Korea to completely collapse either.”
China has managed to maintain a delicate balance in the relationship between the three nations, but Liu believes Xi Jinping will worry that a deeper alliance between Russia and North Korea could upset that balance.
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