As China-North Korea ties cool, Russia looks to benefit

by Dramelin 7:00 AM 0 comments

The US is closely watching Russia`s military build-up in the Arctic    Monday, 1 May 2017 | 9:08 AM ET | 00:43 Meanwhile, executives from state-owned Russian Railways visited the pariah state in January to propose enhancing railroad cooperation, which includes a railway from Rajin to Khasan and a program to train North Korean students at Russian universities.
Moreover, "when China recently threatened to cut off fuel exports to North Korea if it conducted its sixth nuclear weapons test, Russia hinted it could replace at least some of that supply," Stratfor`s report said.
Moscow`s potential influence on the North Korean situation could give Putin a certain degree of leverage in the West as he deals with accusations of Russian meddling in the U.
election as well as his country`s role in the Syria and Ukraine conflicts, Stratfor explained.
"Though Russia alone cannot solve the North Korean problem, it could move the dial just enough to either play spoiler or ally to any efforts by the West to solve it.
" Putin`s strengthened bilateral relationship with Kim Jong-un comes as Beijing, North Korea`s largest trading partner and chief benefactor, takes a harsher stance against its ally in compliance with President Donald Trump`s requests — Washington wants China to help cease Kim`s development of intercontinental ballistic missiles.
And in response to Beijing`s toughened attitude, which includes a suspension of North Korean coal imports, Pyongyang state media has accused Chinese politicians of outright "betrayal.