North Korea holds lavish welcome for Belarus president
March 25, 2026
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un hosted Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in Pyongyang on Wednesday, signaling solidarity between two of Russia's closest allies amid escalating global tensions.
Both countries have helped Russia’s war effort: Kim has supplied Russia with ammunition and troops to fight in Ukraine, while Lukashenko allowed Belarus to serve as a staging ground for Russia's 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine and later agreed to host Russian tactical nuclear missiles on its territory, which borders three NATO countries.
North Korea rolls out the red carpet
The Pyongyang ceremony was lavish: Kim greeted Lukashenko as rows of soldiers and cavalry, and a 21-gun salute marked the visit, with flag-waving children greeting them.
Belarusian foreign minister, Maxim Ryzhenkov, told Belarusian state media that the two sides would sign a friendship and cooperation treaty during the two-day visit, potentially boosting trade in food and pharmaceuticals.
But exiled Belarusian opposition figure Valery Tsepkalo called the meeting "a show of solidarity" with little practical benefit.
"They are just demonstrating that they're not isolated and they can have a meeting," he told Reuters news agency. "There will be no benefit to Belarus from this visit. The same for North Korea."
Bound by sanctions and isolation
Both nations face mounting international sanctions: North Korea for its nuclear and missile programs, Belarus for human rights abuses and support for Russia.
"The current situation is simply pushing us into each other's arms," Ryzhenkov said. "Friends may be far away, but they are very loyal, reliable, and respectful."
Despite both countries' international isolation, US President Donald Trump has engaged with their leaders. He met Kim Jong Un three times in 2018 and 2019, but talks yielded little. Trump said last year he would "love another meeting," which Kim suggested could happen if the US dropped its "absurd obsession" with getting North Korea to give up nuclear weapons.
Trump also reestablished direct contact with Lukashenko, long excluded from diplomatic contact with the US under former President Joe Biden. In recent months, the US has eased some sanctions on Belarus in exchange for the release of political prisoners.
Edited by: Sean Sinico