Russian President Vladimir Putin is seeking to form a coalition of countries to attempt to position this alliance as a viable alternative to NATO, according to a report by the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
Analysts note that this involves countries with historically warm ties to the USSR. Before he visited Vietnam on June 19, Putin published an article in the Vietnamese state newspaper Nhân Dân, using much of the same rhetoric as in his June 18 article in the North Korean state newspaper Rodong Sinmun.
"Putin invoked the historical memory of the Soviet Union's support for Vietnam during the Vietnam War, which Putin described as a heroic struggle against foreign invaders, and noted that it is the 30th anniversary of the Treaty of Basic Principles of Friendly Relations between Russia and Vietnam. Putin praised Vietnam for pursuing an independent foreign policy and supporting a world order based on principles of equality between nations and non-interference in domestic affairs, echoing his praises for North Korea on June 18 and 19. Putin also claimed that like North Korea, Vietnam shares Russia's views on the formation of a new system of equal and indivisible Eurasian security - though Vietnam, like much of Southeast Asia, is not typically included in political conceptions of Eurasia," the report states.
Thus, Putin laid the informational groundwork for a Eurasian security structure during his visit to China in May 2024 and then proposed it in his speech on June 14. At that time, he stated that the Euro-Atlantic security system is collapsing and that Western security and prosperity schemes in Europe are not working.
Experts concluded that the Russian dictator aims to create a coalition of countries that he could attempt to present as a real alternative to NATO. Additionally, he seeks to create the illusion that Western countries are the only supporters of Ukraine, while the rest of the world stands behind Russia.
"Putin likely aims to use the historical memory of positive relations with the Soviet Union and previous assistance to other states to form a coalition of countries that Putin could attempt to posture as a feasible alternative to NATO and bolster the Kremlin's ongoing information operations attempting to falsely portray Western countries as Ukraine's only supporters whereas the rest of the world stands behind Russia," ISW added.
The White House referred to Putin's visit to North Korea and the signing of the strategic partnership agreement as an expansion of the partnership.
Earlier, RBC-Ukraine reported that the US officially confirmed the permission for the Armed Forces of Ukraine to strike Russia near both the Kharkiv and Sumy regions.
