United States: A White House official has stated that North Korean leader Mr. Kim Jong Un is expected to hold a meeting with Russian President Mr. Vladimir Putin. Ms. Adrienne Watson, a United States National Security Council spokeswoman, noted that the meeting would be part of ongoing discussions over weapons sales between the two countries.
“As we have warned publicly, arms negotiations between Russia and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) are actively advancing. We have information that Mr. Kim Jong Un expects these discussions to continue, including leader-level diplomatic engagement in Russia,” Ms. Watson commented.
Previously, the White House said Russia was already in secret, active talks with North Korea in order to receive munitions and supplies for Moscow’s war in Ukraine. White House national security spokesperson Mr. John Kirby noted that, despite its denials, North Korea supplied infantry rockets and missiles to Russia in 2022 for use by the privately controlled Wagner military group.
According to Ms. Watson, the US urged North Korea “to cease its arms negotiations with Russia and abide by the public commitments that Pyongyang has made to not provide or sell arms to Russia.”
“Russian Defence Minister Mr. Sergei Shoigu also travelled in July to North Korea in an effort to acquire additional munitions for the war,” Ms. Watson added.
The US has always deterred countries like China and North Korea from providing arms to Russia’s military in its war against Ukraine.
According to reports, Mr. Kim, who rarely travels outside his country, is likely to meet with Mr. Putin in the port city of Vladivostok on Russia’s Pacific coast. The trip is expected to be similar to the one Mr. Kim made in April 2019 for his first in-person talks with the Russian leader, where he held private talks with Mr. Putin on Russky Island.
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