MOSCOW (AP) — Russian lawmakers on Thursday ratified a pact with North Korea envisioning mutual military assistance, a move that comes as the U.S. confirmed the deployment of 3,000 North Korean troops to Russia.
The lower house of the Russian parliament, the State Duma, voted quickly to endorse the “comprehensive strategic partnership” treaty that Russia's President Vladimir Putin signed with North Korean leader King Jong Un on a visit to Pyongyang in June. The upper house is expected to follow suit soon.
The pact obliges Russia and North Korea to immediately provide military assistance using “all means” if either is attacked. It marked the strongest link between Moscow and Pyongyang since the end of the Cold War.
The U.S. said Wednesday that 3,000 North Korean troops have been deployed to Russia and are training at several locations, calling the move very serious and warning that those forces will be “fair game” if they go into combat in Ukraine.
Russia and North Korea have previously rejected assertions by the U.S. and its allies that Pyongyang has given Moscow ballistic missiles and millions of artillery shells for use in Ukraine.
Asked in June whether North Korean troops could fight alongside Russian forces in Ukraine under the pact, Putin said there was no need for that but he also announced for the first time that Russia could provide weapons to Pyongyang.
Observers said that in exchange for military support Moscow could share sophisticated weapons technologies with Pyongyang to help improve its ballistic missile and satellite capabilities.
FILE - Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un smile during their meeting at the Pyongyang Sunan International Airport outside Pyongyang, North Korea, on June 19, 2024. (Gavriil Grigorov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP, File)
Russian lawmakers ratify pact with North Korea as US confirms that Pyongyang sent troops to Russia
FILE - Soldiers march in a parade for the 70th anniversary of North Korea's founding day in Pyongyang, North Korea, on Sept. 9, 2018. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File)
Russian lawmakers ratify pact with North Korea as US confirms that Pyongyang sent troops to Russia
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Barcelona is not interested in repeating as host of the America’s Cup.
“It doesn’t make sense to try to build on the success” of the two-month regatta, city hall official Jordi Valls said.
Barcelona won't bid for the 38th America's Cup after Emirates Team New Zealand won its third straight cup on Saturday. That meant New Zealand will again organize the next cup, including picking a venue.
Valencia, south of Barcelona on Spain’s Mediterranean coast, has said it would like to get the cup back after staging it in 2007 and 2010.
Saudi Arabia is also a possible candidate after Jeddah hosted a preliminary regatta in 2023 on the Red Sea.
Valls called it an “amicable parting” between the city and the world’s oldest international sporting event that started in 1851.
Valls insisted the 2024 cup was a success for the city. But he said it was always considered a “one-off event and that at no moment was it planned for Barcelona to repeat as a venue.” He pointed to other international events it will focus on promoting such as hosting the opening stage of the 2026 Tour de France.
New Zealand also cast doubt on Barcelona’s suitability after meeting with city hall on Tuesday. It argued the port infrastructure could not accommodate more than the six teams it hosted. The cup organizers hope more teams will enter the next regatta.
“We are keeping an open mind on how best to achieve this with a venue, or different venues, that can supercharge the 38th America’s Cup with an increased global footprint, more teams and increased overall expansion opportunities,” New Zealand team chief executive Grant Dalton said in a statement. “It would be difficult to expand the number of teams based on the available infrastructure space in Barcelona.”
Dalton’s decision to not race the cup in Auckland was criticized in New Zealand. He said he could take it back home if, and only if, Auckland could match the financial offers of other bidders.
Some 2.5 million spectators turned out for the Barcelona race which started in late August with yachts from Britain, Italy, the United States, Switzerland and France challenging the Kiwis.
The decision by Barcelona’s city hall came amid growing public concern about “overtourism” and rising rents. While some 60,000 people turned out for the opening ceremony of the America’s Cup, there was a public protest of a few thousand who rallied against it.
AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports
Emirates Team New Zealand, right, and Ineos Brittania race during the Louis Vuitton 37th America's Cup Day 6 race 9 in Barcelona, Spain, Saturday, Oct.19, 2024. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
Ineos Britannia races during the Louis Vuitton 37th America's Cup Day 4 race 5 in Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
