US official issues serious warning as Kim Jong-un and Vladimir Putin are reportedly joining forces

According to media reports, it is suspected that in an upcoming meeting, Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un will discuss the possibility of North Korea supplying Russia with weapons. A New York Times article states that North Korea's leader is planning a trip to Russia to negotiate this matter with President Putin. The newspaper, citing unnamed sources from the US and allied governments, reports that Moscow's goal is to secure supplies for its offensive war against Ukraine.

Indeed, CNN supports this claim as it reports that Russian defense minister Sergei Shoigu visited Pyongyang in July to try and convince it to sell weapons to Russia. It is reported that Kim Jong-un, if he is to make this trip in a rare venture outside of his territory, will travel in an armoured train.

US says North Korea would 'pay a price' for sale of weapons

Voices from the United States are urging Kim to reconsider his plans for this trip or any potential weapon sales to Russia. According to Adrienne Watson, spokesperson for the National Security Council, negotiations on arms deals between North Korea and Russia are ongoing in real-time, as reported by The Washington Post. If Pyongyang provides weapons to Russia for the country to use against Ukraine, it is 'not going to reflect well on North Korea and they will pay a price for this in the international community,' White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said at a press briefing on Tuesday 5 September.

North Korea and Russia's former arms deals

Russia and North Korea, both under strict international sanctions, have never hidden their increasingly close relationship.North Korea delivered missiles to Russia last year, which were used by Wagner Group mercenaries.

However, they are now under very close inspection as the US and its allies are also concerned about what North Korea wants from the deal. This would be technology - the sort that could improve its satellite and nuclear-powered submarine capabilities, CNN reports.

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Sullivan went on to state that it 'says a lot' that Putin is turning to 'a country like North Korea' for this sort of deal,seeing as Russia thought its war against Ukraine would be won in a week. Sullivan explained the current situation:

We have continued to convey privately as well as publicly to the North Koreans – and asked allies and partners to do the same – our view that they should abide by their publicly stated commitments that they’re not going to provide these weapons.

CNN asked the Kremlin for a comment on this claims, but they have replied that they 'have nothing to say on the subject'.

This article has been adapted from Gentside DE.

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Sources used:

The New York Times: Kim Jong-un and Putin Plan to Meet in Russia to Discuss Weapons

CNN: US warns North Korea would ‘pay a price’ for any arms deal with Russia