In a surprising turn of events, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is expected to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss providing arms to Moscow for its ongoing war in Ukraine, according to the United States.
Touchaheart Nigeria reports that this announcement comes on the heels of a warning from the White House that Russia has been engaging in secret discussions with North Korea to acquire a variety of munitions and supplies for its war effort.
Diplomatic Engagement on the Horizon
National Security Council (NSC) spokeswoman Adrienne Watson confirmed, “As we have warned publicly, arms negotiations between Russia and the DPRK are actively advancing.”
She further stated, “We have information that Kim Jong Un expects these discussions to continue, to include leader-level diplomatic engagement in Russia.”
Kim Jong Un, who rarely travels outside North Korea, is likely to head to Vladivostok, a city on Russia’s Pacific coast near North Korea, later this month for the meeting.
The New York Times even suggests that Kim might travel to Moscow, although this remains uncertain.
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Supplying Munitions to Russia
NSC spokesman John Kirby revealed that despite North Korea’s denials, it supplied infantry rockets and missiles to Russia in 2022 for use by the privately controlled Wagner military group.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu also visited North Korea last month to seek additional munitions for the ongoing conflict.
In response to these developments, Watson urged North Korea to cease its arms negotiations with Russia and abide by the public commitments Pyongyang has made, which include not providing or selling arms to Russia.
International Concerns
Last week, the United States, Britain, South Korea, and Japan issued a joint statement at the United Nations, expressing concern that any deal to increase bilateral cooperation between Russia and North Korea would violate Security Council resolutions forbidding arms deals with Pyongyang – resolutions that Russia itself had endorsed.
It was revealed that following Shoigu’s visit to Pyongyang, another group of Russian officials traveled to North Korea for follow-up talks on arms purchases.
Ongoing Conflict in Ukraine
These potential talks between Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin come at a time when Ukraine is conducting a closely monitored counteroffensive in the south and east of the country.
Putin commented on Monday, claiming that this Ukrainian effort was failing, stating, “It is not that it is stalling. It is a failure.”
Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov subsequently announced his resignation to parliament, following President Volodymyr Zelensky’s call for “new approaches” to address Russia’s offensive.
The situation remains fluid, and the international community watches with concern as these developments unfold.
What You Should Know
The unexpected possibility of North Korea supplying arms to Russia for its war in Ukraine has raised eyebrows and sparked diplomatic tensions.
As Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin prepare for a potential meeting, the international community closely monitors the situation, especially in the context of ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
The outcome of these discussions could have significant implications for the region and beyond.
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