The White House adviser Jake Sullivan claimed that Russia has been advancing in grabbing a weapons deal with North Korea and Warned Pyongyang of consequences if it supplies arms to the Kremlin. Jake Sullivan, American National Security adviser, expressed North Korea would pay a price if it sold weapons to Russia in the war against Ukraine. The US recently claimed that both countries were making talks and trying to make the deals successful. Sullivan told the reporters that all the weapons provided to the Kremlin would be used to attack the infrastructure of a sovereign country, which is totally unacceptable. He added that Russia has been trying to conquer a modern and independent nation. If N-Korea aids in the Kremlin’s mission, it would face severe consequences from the international community.

White House officials claimed on Monday that North Korean Head of State Kim Jong was expected to conduct a high-level meeting with Russian President Putin. Adrienne Watson, Spokesperson for the National Security Council, stated on Monday that the meeting between Moscow and Pyongyang leaders would be part of ongoing discussions on weapon deals between the countries. However, the Kremlin has refused to comment on American claims about the meeting.

In recent weeks, closer ties between Moscow and Pyongyang have been observed. Sergei Shoigu, Russian defense minister, was on a tour to North Korea last month and met with the Pyongyang leader. Kim Jong and President Putin exchanged letters last month vowing stronger ties between the two nations. The US State Department spokesperson, Vedant Patel, warned Pyongyang against providing weapons to Russia. He also added the Kremlin has been looking at North Korea for weapons, which shows a significant impact on Moscow of international sanctions.

Russia Facing Challenges In War

According to Patel’s analysis, Russia is facing a challenging situation in its conflict in Ukraine. The sanctions and export controls imposed on them have made it difficult for them to find suitable weapons, and they have been searching the globe in distress. They are struggling to find a way out of this trouble. When asked about the consequences for Pyongyang if weapons were to be sent to Moscow, Patel chose not to provide any details. Nonetheless, he assured the United States would collaborate closely with its allies and take all the required steps to handle the matter suitably.

Last year, the US accused North Korea of secretly shipping artillery shells to Russia. Both Moscow and Pyongyang denied the allegation. On Tuesday, Sullivan mentioned the Biden administration’s effort to discourage North Korea from supplying weapons to Moscow. He further said the Biden administration will continue to push to “prevent the North Koreans” from providing Russia with firearms. He added America would continue to urge North Korea to follow its commitment not to supply Russia with arms.

Moscow & Pyongyang Can Benefit Each Other

According to a defense and military analyst, Pavel Felgenhauer, there is a chance that Putin might meet with Kim during his upcoming trip to Vladivostok for an economic forum. According to Felgenhauer, Moscow and Pyongyang have strong ties as both countries are under Western pressure and sanctions and can benefit from each other. It’s obvious that tensions have been high between the US and Russia lately, especially with the ongoing military offensive in Ukraine. The US is warning its competitors and adversaries, including China, against providing any support to Russia in its conflict.

Washington has been providing Kyiv with significant aid in various forms since the full-scale invasion by Russia in February 2022. This aid has included military, humanitarian, and budgetary support, all of which have been crucial in helping Ukraine defend itself against the aggression from its powerful neighbor. In addition to providing aid, the Biden administration has imposed heavy sanctions on Moscow as a way to halt the country’s role in the ongoing conflict. Russia failed to capture the Ukrainian capital early on in the invasion and scaled back its goals to simply occupying certain parts of the east. Ukraine tried a counteroffensive earlier this year, but they haven’t been able to achieve big against the Russian forces.