Madsplaining: Putin in Pyongyang
Shared enemies bring tyrants together
Russia’s President Putin has been on a little tour, visiting with North Korea’s Kim Jong-un. Putin had not been to the Hermit Kingdom for almost 25 years when he visited with Kim’s father, Kim Jong-il. The leaders signed a mutual aid agreement to help each other out if anyone should come at them. On the way home, Putin dropped in on Vietnam’s deputy prime minister Tran Hong Ha and signed several memoranda regarding cooperation on “civil nuclear projects, energy and petrol cooperation, education and disease prevention.” The U.S. criticized Hanoi for hosting Russia’s president, but “Vietnam’s leadership favors a so-called “bamboo diplomacy” – which sways with the winds, and avoids picking sides in international disputes.”
Over to Ukraine.. Vlad has offered an end to its hostilities but Vlod has turned it down. President Putin says he’d withdraw troops if Ukraine would agree never to join NATO, if the world would lift sanctions and if he gets to keep about a fifth of Ukraine currently occupied by Russia. President Zelenksy has called the deal “absurd” saying it is Russia that must withdraw. The Kremlin said its the next proposal will be for a complete surrender on the part of Ukraine.
Westerner commentators say Russia’s actions and its deal with North Korea smack of desperation not strength. One commentator wrote: “You may wonder… what do these states even have in common? A proto-fascist theocracy, a neo-imperialist kleptocracy, a Juchist family dictatorship, and a Marxist-Leninist-led hybrid. The answer is, of course, very little.” Another agreed, saying, “Russia and North Korea are both aggrieved, revisionist states, but they don’t have shared values other than overturning the status quo.”
As usual, it is hard to discern truth from fiction in this situation. But we pray for peace in the world, for our leaders and against our enemies.