The United States said on Tuesday that Russia would violate United Nations resolutions if it reached an arms deal with North Korea, after it urged Moscow and Pyongyang to increase cooperation.
• Also read: A new rapprochement between Putin and North Korea
• Also read: Kim Jong Un calls on North Korea to intensify missile production
“Any kind of security cooperation or arms deal between North Korea and Russia undoubtedly violates a series of UN Security Council resolutions,” foreign ministry spokesman Vedant Patel told reporters.
On Tuesday morning, Russian President Vladimir Putin called for closer cooperation with Pyongyang in a letter to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Mr. Kim “stressed the need to further develop strategic and tactical cooperation between the two countries in the field of security and defense,” according to a message from Defense Minister Kang Soon Nam read to the meeting participants. Russian news agencies quoted a forum near Moscow.
The United States suspects that Moscow is seeking weapons from its ally, North Korea.
Promises of increased cooperation come as a summit between the leaders of South Korea, the United States and Japan is scheduled to take place in Washington on Friday, with the aim of boosting their security cooperation in the face of South Korea. North Korea is increasingly threatened.
