It’s time for the international community to fully recognize the gravity of the deepening alliance between Russia and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, which empowers them both and makes them growingly dangerous for the U.S., Europe and our allies in the Indo-Pacific. Instead of ridiculing the desperation of Russia having to turn to the North Koreans, we need to consider the fact that this may shape the trajectory of the war of aggression and tip the balance of power in favor of authoritarian regimes.

It’s a reality now that the forces of a totalitarian dictatorship with an illicit nuclear weapons program are directly supporting Russia in its aggression against Ukraine by participating in the fighting just few hundred miles from NATO’s border.

It’s alarming at first because it makes clear that Russia’s war effort is no longer solely reliant on its own resources, but is increasingly dependent on a network of authoritarian regimes that are strengthening each other’s military capabilities.

Already for too long, the extensive delivery of North Korea’s missiles and artillery shells has allowed Russia to preserve its own dwindling resources and offered Russia........

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