Russia's Duma Speaker Visits North Korea Amid Strengthened Diplomacy

Vyacheslav Volodin, Russia's parliament speaker and close ally of Putin, visited North Korea to attend a commemoration event for Pyongyang's troops supporting Moscow in Ukraine. The visit underscores the evolving diplomatic and military ties between Russia and North Korea since 2023, bolstered by a mutual defense treaty signed in 2024.

Vyacheslav Volodin, the speaker of Russia's Duma and a key ally of President Vladimir Putin, arrived in North Korea on Saturday. His visit is part of an event commemorating North Korea's contribution of troops to assist Moscow in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, as reported by the Tass news agency.

Volodin was welcomed by Jo Yong-won, a close confidant of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and head of the Supreme People's Assembly. North Korea has deployed approximately 14,000 troops in support of Russia, with significant casualties reported by various international officials.

The visit comes after Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin's meeting in June 2024, where they signed a strategic treaty reinforcing diplomatic and military cooperation, marking a notable development in their bilateral relations since 2023.