Russia-North Korea arms negotiations “actively advancing,” White Home says

Washington — The White Home stated Wednesday it has new intelligence that exhibits Russia and North Korea are “actively advancing” high-level talks for extra weapons to bolster President Vladimir Putin‘s invasion of Ukraine. 

Nationwide Safety Council spokesman John Kirby stated Putin and North Korean chief Kim Jong Un have exchanged letters pledging to extend their cooperation. The letter adopted a latest go to from Russian Protection Minister Sergei Shoigu to the remoted regime “to attempt to persuade Pyongyang to promote artillery ammunition to Russia,” he stated. 

After Shoigu’s go to, one other group of Russian officers traveled to Pyongyang for follow-up discussions on arms offers, Kirby stated. 

“Following these negotiations, high-level discussions could proceed in coming months,” Kirby stated, declining to offer particulars about how the U.S. obtained the intelligence. 

Beneath the potential agreements, North Korea would give Russia “important portions and a number of sorts” of weapons to make use of in Ukraine, he stated. 

“Any arms deal between the DPRK and Russia would straight violate a variety of U.N. Safety Council resolutions,” Kirby stated, utilizing the acronym for the Democratic Individuals’s Republic of Korea. “We’re persevering with to watch this case intently. And we urge the DPRK to stop its arms negotiations with Russia and abide by the general public commitments that Pyongyang has made to not present or promote arms to Russia.” 

U.N. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield made related feedback on Wednesday on the U.N. headquarters. 

“We can’t — and we is not going to — keep silent as we obtain extra data that Russia continues to show to rogue regimes to attempt to get hold of weapons and tools in an effort to assist its brutal battle of aggression,” she stated.  

Gabrielle Ake and Pamela Falk contributed reporting. 

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