Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korea’s Kim Jong-Un are set to attend a major military parade in Beijing on September 3, marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. This rare appearance by Kim who seldom leaves North Korea has drawn global attention, especially since both he and Putin are facing mounting international scrutiny.
According to China’s state-run Xinhua News Agency, around 26 world leaders will be present at the event. Alongside Putin and Kim, other attendees include Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and Myanmar’s military chief Min Aung Hlaing. Notably, no U.S. or Western leaders are on the guest list.
The U.S. and its allies are deliberately boycotting the event in protest, mainly due to Putin’s attendance. The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant against the Russian leader over alleged war crimes committed during the invasion of Ukraine.
China has defended its decision to host Kim Jong-Un, calling North Korea a “traditional friendly neighbor” and welcoming him warmly. During the parade, Beijing is expected to showcase its most advanced weaponry, signaling strength at a time of growing geopolitical tension.
North Korean state media has not disclosed when Kim will depart for Beijing, how long he will stay, or whether he will hold official talks with Putin, Xi Jinping, or other leaders.
Why this matters:
Relations between China and North Korea have been strained in recent years, partly because Pyongyang has leaned more toward Moscow by sending aid to Russia during its war with Ukraine. In exchange, experts believe Russia may be offering advanced military technology to North Korea, fueling concerns about its weapons program.
Reports also suggest that Russia has been training North Korean scientists in uranium and mineral resource extraction, raising alarms about potential nuclear escalation.
Analysts say that North Korea now seeks to reinforce its ties with China after deepening cooperation with Russia framing this as a show of “socialist solidarity” among the three nations. This Beijing parade may symbolize a strengthening axis of authoritarian powers at a time when Western nations are isolating them diplomatically.
0 Comments