Russian defense chief Sergei Shoigu’s visit to North Korea last month, where he toured a weapons expo with Kim Jong Un and watched a military parade, has renewed attention on U.S. claims that the Kremlin is purchasing weapons from the DPRK for use in the war in Ukraine.

But while U.S. officials have argued that Moscow is turning to North Korea out of “desperation” over its struggling invasion, there are also other deeper geopolitical considerations that have been driving Russia to seek improved ties with the DPRK.

North Korea is fast becoming