North Korea to ‘pay price’ if it gives Russia arms, US national security adviser warns
- It was reported on Monday that Kim Jong-un is likely to travel to Russia this month to discuss a weapons deal with Vladimir Putin
- ‘This is not going to reflect well on North Korea and they will pay a price for this in the international community,’ said Jake Sullivan
The White House warned on Tuesday that North Korea would “pay a price” if it supplies Russia with weaponry for its war in Ukraine, with Kim Jong-un and Vladimir Putin expected to hold talks on the issue.
Sanctions-hit Russia is reportedly eager to secure more military supplies from its ally to bolster its forces as Kyiv pushes a highly scrutinised counteroffensive to take back its territory.
US President Joe Biden’s national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Pyongyang and Moscow were eyeing “leader level discussions, perhaps even in person” on Russia’s arms needs.
Sullivan said Russia could use weapons from North Korea to attack food supplies and heating infrastructure heading into winter to “try to conquer territory that belongs to another sovereign nation.”
“This is not going to reflect well on North Korea and they will pay a price for this in the international community,” he added.
Sullivan added that it “says a lot that Russia is having to turn to a country like North Korea.”
Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu travelled to North Korea in July seeking to acquire additional munitions for the war, the White House said.
