Shared enemies plus shared interests equal shared goals. That means Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un could be partners in crime, developing deeper ties while eventually seeking to push back against Washington. Indeed, there even seems to be some evidence that this could already be happening.

Recent reports have noted how Russia-North Korea trade seems to be expanding quite dramatically. According to a widely cited article in USA Today, trade between the two nations was up 70 percent in the first two months of the year. The piece also details a “labor immigration agreement” that could expand the number of North Korean laborers used in Russia’s timber and construction industries. Different reports indicate other economic linkages that could be expanded, such as Moscow selling Pyongyang 300,000 tons of oil products per year. If China decided to cut off fuel aid, with some reports suggesting that could already be in play, Russian exports could help fill the gap.