Belarus leader gifts rifle to North Korea's Kim as they sign friendship treaty

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has gifted North Korean leader Kim Jong Un with a rifle as they signed a friendship treaty in Pyongyang, state media report.

The two leaders, both key supporters of Russia's war in Ukraine, agreed to co-operate more closely and resist pressure from the West.

Lukashenko joked to Kim that he brought him an automatic rifle "just in case enemies appear", according to a video released by Belarusian state media.

In turn, Kim gave Lukashenko a sword and a vase featuring a portrait of the Belarusian leader.

"I can tell you as a friend, as a person who has already seen everything in this world: a great future awaits your country with this hardworking, disciplined people," Lukashenko told Kim, according to Belarus news agency Belta.

At a time when "the norms of international law are openly ignored and violated by powers that be", countries need to cooperate in "protecting their sovereignty and improving the well-being of our citizens", he added.

Lukashenko described the friendship treaty as fundamental, while Kim said it would "further guarantee the stable development of bilateral relations", Belta reported.

The two leaders also agreed to cooperate in fields ranging from agriculture to information to public health, KCNA reported.

North Korea and Belarus are heavily-sanctioned by the West for alleged human rights abuses and for supporting Russia's war in Ukraine. Pyongyang faces separate sanctions for its nuclear weapons programme.

Pyongyang has been supplying soldiers to Russia's campaign. Western officials told the BBC las year that an estimated 1,000 North Korean soldier died in the first few months of Moscow's war in Ukraine.

In a message to Putin this week, Kim said "Pyongyang will always be with Moscow", according to North Korea's KCNA.

Ukraine has accused Russia of using Belarusian territory as bases to launch attacks at Ukrainian targets.