Belarus leader gifts rifle to North Korea’s Kim as they sign friendship treaty

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Belarus press pool

The rilfle was “just in case enemies appear”, Lukashenko told Kim

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has gifted North Korean leader Kim Jong Un a rifle as they signed a friendship treaty in Pyongyang, state media report.

The two leaders, both key supporters of Russia’s war in Ukraine, agreed to co-operate more closely and resist pressure from the West.

Lukashenko joked to Kim that he had brought him an automatic rifle “just in case enemies appear”, according to a video released by Belarusian state media.

In turn, Kim gave Lukashenko a sword and a vase featuring a portrait of the Belarusian leader.

“I can tell you as a friend, as a person who has already seen everything in this world: a great future awaits your country with this hardworking, disciplined people,” Lukashenko told Kim, according to Belarusian news agency Belta.

At a time when “the norms of international law are openly ignored and violated by powers that be”, countries needed to co-operate in “protecting their sovereignty and improving the wellbeing of our citizens”, he added.

Lukashenko described the friendship treaty as fundamental, while Kim said it would “further guarantee the stable development of bilateral relations”, Belta reported.

The two leaders also agreed to co-operate in fields ranging from agriculture to information to public health, North Korean state news agency KCNA reported.

Belarussian Presidency/Anadolu via Getty Images

Kim welcomed Lukashenko to Pyongyang on his first visit to North Korea

North Korea and Belarus are heavily sanctioned by the West for alleged human rights abuses and for supporting Russia’s war in Ukraine. Pyongyang faces separate sanctions for its nuclear weapons programme.

Pyongyang has been supplying soldiers for Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. More than 10,000 North Koreans are estimated to have been deployed to fight alongside Russia.

In a message to Russian President Vladimir Putin this week, Kim said “Pyongyang will always be with Moscow”, according to KCNA.

Ukraine has accused Russia of using Belarusian territory as a launchpad for attacks.

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