Moscow is now purchasing artillery and rockets from Pyongyang for its war effort in Ukraine, as Diana Glebova reports. Oh, how the tables have turned. As troubling as this development is, especially regarding the efficacy of our sanctions on North Korea, it’s a welcome sign that Russia has come a long way from the zenith of its influence on the world stage during the Cold War, when it was the one supplying North Korea with weapons.
Add this to the list of profound embarrassments Vladimir Putin has endured since the Russian invasion began six months ago. This is also further evidence that the international effort to alienate and remove Russia from the global financial system is working. Only a weak and ailing regime would enlist the help of North Korea, a state with incredibly unreliable weaponry, in its war effort. This is not the behavior of a great power.
One can only hope that this news mutes the chorus of naysayers across the ideological spectrum, who seem to believe that our strategy since the war started is somehow self-defeating. Our investment is paying off. We’ve witnessed a nadir for Russian power and prestige, the Ukrainians have made significant strides in regaining their lost territory, and the West is more united than ever as a result.