In a recent revelation, the White House has disclosed new intelligence suggesting a correspondence between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, amidst reports of arms trade negotiations between the two nations. The development comes against Russia’s involvement in the ongoing Ukraine conflict.
According to a report by the Associated Press (AP), John Kirby, a spokesperson for the US National Security Council, said that the intelligence suggests that Putin and Kim communicated via letters. The letters are thought to contain discussions about possible arms transactions between Russia and North Korea, particularly in relation to the kinds of weapons Russia is looking to acquire to improve its defense capabilities. These talks came after Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu recently visited Pyongyang, where he reportedly urged North Korean leaders to expand munitions sales to Moscow in order to bolster its actions in Ukraine.
Kirby highlighted that although the letters’ content appeared to be preliminary in nature, negotiations for the sale of weapons were moving forward. He disclosed that more Russian officials had traveled to Pyongyang. The speaker did not specify how the US intelligence community-acquired this data, though. Coincidentally, North Korea conducted a ballistic missile test into its eastern waters just before the release of the Putin-Kim conversation, as confirmed by the military of South Korea. Closely after the US sent a long-range bomber to the Korean Peninsula as a show of force against North Korea, this test took place.
According to earlier claims made by the Biden administration, Russia’s military efforts in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine have become dependent on the delivery of armaments from Iran and North Korea. The White House had previously disclosed intelligence in March that suggested Russia was attempting to broker a food-for-arms agreement with North Korea. In this proposed arrangement, Moscow would give North Korea necessities like food and goods in exchange for weapons.
The US had previously asserted that the private military firm Wagner Group in Russia had received an armaments shipment from North Korea. It was claimed that this package was utilized to bolster Russian military fighting in the conflict in Ukraine. Both North Korea and Russia had refuted these claims.
The most recent intelligence disclosure illuminates the complex geopolitical dynamics behind the conflict in Ukraine, as Russia looks to unorthodox sources to retain its military prowess. Exchanges between world leaders have raised the possibility of arms deals, thus it is important to closely monitor the situation as it develops.