Russia abandoned caution towards North Korea in order to turn the tide of the war with Ukraine – The New York Times

Russia has abandoned its cautious approach toward North Korea in an effort to turn the tide in the war in Ukraine.

This information reported according to “The New York Times”.

The article recalls how just six years ago, Moscow expelled thousands of North Korean workers due to Pyongyang’s development of nuclear weapons. Now, those workers are reportedly returning to Russia, potentially to aid in the war against Ukraine.

“This marks a significant shift in Russian policy,” said Alexander Gabuev, an expert on Russia’s relations with Asia at the Carnegie Eurasia Center.

“NYT” points out that the war in Ukraine has “erased the last areas of cooperation between Russia and the West,” pushing complex economic and political issues—where Russia once played a global role, such as arms control and nuclear non-proliferation—into “dangerous, uncertain territory.”

As a result, the days when Russia worked alongside a broad coalition, including China and the U.S., to contain North Korea’s nuclear ambitions have “faded into the past.”

“If in the past, Russia positioned itself as a helpful partner to the West in dealing with problematic countries, now it has become a massive problem itself,” Gabuev added.

“NYT” predicts that Russia’s break with the U.S.-led global order will persist long after the war in Ukraine ends, with Moscow continuing to shape geopolitical conflicts, such as the U.S.-China rivalry.