Lukashenko's North Korea Visit: China Moves to Pre-empt the Trump Administration's Initiatives

From March 25 to 26, 2026, the self-proclaimed President of Belarus, Aleksandr Lukashenko, made the first-ever state visit to Pyongyang.

During the visit, he held talks with Kim Jong Un, resulting in the signing of a “Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation,” under which the parties agreed to strengthen collaboration in industrial, trade, and technological sectors. The details of the agreement have not been disclosed. 

It is expected that this treaty will form the foundation for a full-scale military pact, analogous to those already in place between North Korea, Russia, and China.