Russian Senate to discuss ratification of North Korea-Russia treaty tomorrow

The Russian Senate will discuss ratification of a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty signed with North Korea tomorrow local time, Russia's state-run TAS news agency reported.

Russia's Senate Committee on International Affairs recommended the Senate to approve the ratification of the North-Russia treaty.

The North Korea-Russia treaty was ratified by the House of Representatives on the 24th of last month, and if Russian President Vladimir Putin signs it through the Senate, the ratification process in Russia will be completed.

The treaty, signed by Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in June, includes providing military support to the other if one side is at war due to an armed invasion.

Although there is an interpretation that relations between North Korea and Russia have been upgraded to a military alliance, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko stressed that the treaty does not constitute a military alliance and does not threaten any third country.

When asked whether North Korean Foreign Minister Choi Sun-hee and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met to discuss the treaty's mutual military support provisions, they answered in principle that they discussed all issues of interest to each other.