Russia’s Position on the North Korea Crisis

The Polish Institute of International Affairs is an analytical institution established by an act of Parliament in 1996 to carry out research and provide expertise in international affairs. PISM disseminates information on contemporary international issues and maintains contacts with academic and political centres in Poland and abroad. The Institute runs courses for public servants, maintains a library (open to the public; 165,000 books and journals), organises conferences, and publishes books, periodicals and documents on Polish foreign policy and international matters.

The funding for PISM comes from the budget. The director is appointed by the prime minister for a term of five years, following consultation with the minister of foreign affairs. The minister supervises the Institute and appoints its advisory council, which includes a representative of the President of the Republic of Poland, academics and officials.North Korea’s missile and nuclear tests destabilised the situation in the Asia-Pacific region and indirectly jeopardised the security of the Russian Federation. At the same time, Russia used the tensions between the U.S. and North Korea to strengthen its international standing and further its rapprochement with China. Russia supported the Chinese proposals for a peaceful settlement of the situation with North Korea because it feared strengthening the U.S. military presence in the region.