NATO chief warns of rising authoritarian alliance with new treaty

NATO chief warns that the pact between Russia and North Korea shows mutual support among authoritarian forces. "They are supporting each other in a way we haven't seen before," said Jens Stoltenberg.

Vladimir Putin visited North Korea for the first time in 24 years. The Russian leader met with Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang on Wednesday and signed a treaty on a comprehensive strategic partnership.

On Wednesday, Putin said after talks with the North Korean leader that they signed a "comprehensive partnership agreement" that included a clause agreeing to provide "mutual assistance in the event of aggression."

The Russian dictator also announced that Russia does not rule out developing military-technical cooperation with North Korea under this agreement. Russian media reported that security and international issues dominated the meeting with Kim Jong Un.

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg has already reacted to the agreement signed between Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un. The North Atlantic Alliance leader pointed out that the pact between Russia and North Korea shows mutual support among authoritarian forces.

"We need to be aware that authoritarian powers are aligning more and more. They are supporting each other in a way we haven't seen before," Stoltenberg said during a panel discussion on an official visit to Ottawa.

The NATO chief emphasized that North Korea provided Russia with an "enormous amount of ammunition," while both China and Iran have militarily supported Moscow in its war against Ukraine. "When they are more and more aligned - authoritarian regimes like North Korea and China, Iran, Russia - then it's even more important that we are aligned as countries believing in freedom and democracy," Stoltenberg said.