Russia’s Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev has arrived in Pyongyang for high-stakes talks with Kim Jong Un, marking his second visit to North Korea in just three months. The rushed diplomacy signals a rapidly growing military and economic partnership between the two sanctioned states, as Moscow seeks North Korean artillery shells and missiles for its war in Ukraine while Pyongyang pursues advanced Russian weapons tech.

This meeting follows Kim’s rare trip to Russia’s Far East in September, where he toured arms factories and space centers with Vladimir Putin. Experts warn the alliance could lead to:

• Banned weapons transfers (ballistic missiles, nuclear tech)
• Sanctions-busting arms-for-food deals
• Joint military production

With both nations locked in confrontation with the West, Patrushev’s return to Pyongyang confirms Moscow and Pyongyang are now openly collaborating against U.S. influence—a dangerous shift in global power dynamics.