Alexander Lukashenko makes first official visit to North Korea

On Wednesday, March 26, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko arrived in Pyongyang for his first official visit to North Korea, where he was greeted by leader Kim Jong Un with a ceremony featuring a white-horse cavalry and a 21-gun salute at Kim Il-sung Square. During the two-day visit, Lukashenko paid tribute at the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, where he laid flowers on behalf of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Belarusian Foreign Minister Maxim Ryzhenkov stated that the two nations plan to sign a friendship and cooperation treaty to address modest trade levels in sectors such as food and pharmaceuticals. Both nations remain under significant Western sanctions and have maintained close ties with Moscow regarding the conflict in Ukraine. Western and South Korean intelligence reports indicate that Pyongyang has supplied Russia with ammunition and troops for the Kursk region, while Belarus served as a staging ground for the 2022 invasion and currently hosts Russian tactical nuclear missiles. Exiled Belarusian opposition figure Valery Tsepkalo criticized the summit as a symbolic gesture intended to display solidarity rather than foster substantive economic exchange. The visit highlights the alignment between these three countries amidst international isolation.