SEOUL—North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ushered in 2026 by hailing an “invincible alliance” with Russia and saluting his troops deployed to Russian battlefields—invoking a partnership that has fueled his growing defiance and confidence on the global stage.

Pyongyang will likely open room for a summit meeting with Washington while excluding dialogue opportunities with Seoul.

Analysts in Seoul say suspicions of Russian assistance are difficult to dismiss. Read more at straitstimes.com. Read more at straitstimes.com.

Pyongyang’s outreach to Moscow and cautious reset with Beijing narrows US options and sidelines denuclearisation

Kim praised North Korean troops fighting in the Ukraine war for their unwavering bravery for the sake of ‘the brotherly Russian people’.

North Korea has sent thousands of troops to support Russia’s nearly four-year invasion of Ukraine. Read more at straitstimes.com. Read more at straitstimes.com.

Current political and economic issues succinctly explained. In the more than three years since Russia invaded Ukraine, North Korea has emerged as a significant ally for Moscow. By first providing ammunition and weapons, then sending thousands of its own ...

The prospect of a US-North Korea summit in 2026 is considered feasible, while the possibility of resuming inter-Korean dialogue remains limited due to the regional security context and the strategic calculations of the parties involved.

A Russian cargo ship, the Ursa Major, sank off the coast of Cartagena, Spain, in December 2024 under mysterious circumstances. Spanish authorities now say the ship was carrying undeclared nuclear reactor parts,