Russia ratified a mutual defense pact with North Korea Wednesday, solidifying the military alliance between Moscow and Pyongyang. This comes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned of a “new chapter of instability” after revealing his troops fought North Korean soldiers on the battlefield for the first time.

Signed by President Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in June, this treaty marks the strongest ties between Moscow and Pyongyang since the Cold War. View on euronews

"China can't afford to sever ties with North Korea, due to its own security interests. So, Beijing has to endure North Korea siding with Russia and being labeled as part of an axis of authoritarian revisionist states, even if it doesn't like this label," he added.