Biden's Visit to Peru

Ava Cai

November 15, 2024

After attending the global summit of Asia Pacific leaders in Lima, Peru, President Joe Biden voiced his concerns about the potentially “dangerous and destabilization cooperation” between North Korea and Russia. North Korea has signed an agreement with Russia to support President Vladimir Putin’s war efforts in Ukraine. The agreement contains a mutual defense pact accompanied by thousands of military troops that have already been stationed in Russia. It is evident to world leaders that the reason for the added troops was to help Moscow dig its way back into the Kursk border region. The military support from North Korea was comforting to President Putin because he is now capable of exercising a counteroffensive while keeping full forces present in the East. 

The United States, Japan, and South Korea are equally concerned that a generous amount of military assistance from North Korea will encourage Russia to help its ally improve its nuclear technologies. President Biden, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, and President Yoon Suk Yeol have displayed their disapproval of this partnership, saying, “Deepening military cooperation between the DPRK and Russia, including munitions and ballistic missile transfers, is particularly egregious given Russia’s status as a Permanent Member of the U.N. Security Council.” In addition, the country’s leaders reaffirmed their pledge to Ukraine’s “inherent right to self-defense”. 

By promising annual meetings between the three world leaders, President Biden feels confident in the allies’ ability to counter the growing threat posed by North Korea and Russia. They established and coordinated a three-day training in June that enhanced joint ballistic missile defense, surveillance, and anti-submarine warfare.  Biden confirmed that the cooperation between the three countries is “built to last,” but did not once address Mr. Trump’s upcoming presidency. It was also confirmed that Mr. Trump’s name did not come up at all during the 40-minute meeting. However, there is no doubt that Mr. Trump’s election into office troubled President Biden when he visited Peru for his last major meeting before his term ends in January. Mr. Trump’s “America First” policy has been a significant concern to both Mr. Biden and his national security officials. In addition to this, government officials are worried that North Korea may increase its military aggression when Mr. Trump takes the stage as president in the upcoming year.  An uncertainty to America’s future stance on the world stage left President Biden to say, “We’ve now reached a moment of significant political change.”