North Korea, Belarus sign ‘friendship’ treaty during Lukashenko visit

North Korea and Belarus sign a friendship treaty, strengthening ties amid Western sanctions and support for Russia's Ukraine war.

North Korea and Belarus’s strongmen leaders signed a “friendship and cooperation” treaty on Thursday (March 26, 2026) after Kim Jong Un gave a lavish welcome to President Alexander Lukashenko on his maiden visit.

Besides supporting Russia’s war against Ukraine — around 2,000 North Korean soldiers are thought to have died — both nations are under Western sanctions and are accused of gross human rights violations. The two men met last year in China.

“In the modern realities of global transformation — at a time when the world’s major powers openly ignore and violate the norms of international law — independent countries must cooperate more closely and consolidate their efforts aimed at protecting their sovereignty and improving the well-being of their citizens,” Belarusian state news agency Belta quoted Mr. Lukashenko as saying.

“We oppose the illegitimate pressure on Belarus from the West and express our support and understanding for the measures taken by the leadership of Belarus aimed at ensuring social and political stability and economic development,” Belta quoted Mr. Kim as saying.

Earlier, Belta showed Mr. Kim and Mr. Lukashenko hugging at a lavish welcome programme on Wednesday (March 25, 2026) at the start of the two-day visit involving an artillery salute and goose-stepping soldiers before a large flag-waving crowd.

Mr. Lukashenko visited the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun — where Mr. Kim’s embalmed father and grandfather lie in state — to pay his respects, flanked by top North Korean officials, the Korean Central News Agency reported.