Russia, N Korea to work together to counter Western sanctions: Putin says ahead of Pyongyang visit

Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed his commitment to strengthening ties with North Korea during his upcoming two-day visit to the country, scheduled to begin on Tuesday. In an article published in North Korea's Rodong Sinmun and reported by the state news agency TASS, Putin outlined plans for the two countries to collaborate on building a security architecture in Eurasia, countering Western sanctions, and establishing independent transaction systems.