Next week, Kim Jong Un could meet Vladimir Putin
The Biden administration has issued a warning to North Korea regarding a potential arms deal with Russia amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan delivered this message during a press briefing on Tuesday in response to reports suggesting a meeting between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
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Sullivan stated, “[This] is not going to reflect well on North Korea, and they will pay a price for this in the international community. We will continue to call on North Korea to honor its public commitments not to supply weapons to Russia, weapons that could be used against Ukrainians.”
It was also announced on Monday by U.S. National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson that a face-to-face meeting between Kim and Putin is a possibility, with Kim potentially traveling to Moscow as early as next week.
Russia has not provided clear confirmation or details regarding the talks. Dmitry Peskov, the spokesperson for the Kremlin, stated that he “can’t” confirm the talks and added that there is “nothing to say” at this time.
According to sources cited by the New York Times, the reported negotiations involve Russian President Vladimir Putin’s interest in North Korea supplying Russia with artillery shells and antitank missiles. In return, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is seeking advanced technology for satellites and nuclear-powered submarines from Russia, along with food aid to address food shortages in his country.
National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby had previously stated that “arms negotiations” between these two U.S. adversaries were actively progressing.
John Kirby, the National Security Council spokesperson, had previously stated that if negotiations progress, there could be further high-level discussions in the coming months. As part of these potential deals, Russia would receive substantial quantities and various types of munitions from North Korea, which the Russian military intends to use in Ukraine.
In recent months, North Korea has demonstrated increasing aggression towards South Korea and Japan by conducting a record number of missile tests. Additionally, the country has faced setbacks in its attempts to launch a satellite into orbit, with two failed attempts this year and a third scheduled for October.