US Believes North Korea Could Trade Military Aid With Russia In Exchange for Nuclear Technology

The United States believes that in exchange for providing military aid to Russia, North Korea may ask for technology to improve long-range missiles, as well as nuclear weapons.

This was stated by US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell on Monday, at an event hosted by the Council on Foreign Relations.

"We believe that there are discussions about what North Korea gets in exchange, and they could be associated with its nuclear or long-range missile-development plans, perhaps other things in energy and the like," Campbell said.

Campbell pointed out that Putin's recent visit to North Korea marked his first in over two decades, underscoring the partnership between Moscow and Pyongyang amidst Russian aggression against Ukraine.

"There are limits to these partnerships, but they cannot be ignored," he said. 

Campbell stated that the US viewed China and Russia as being in a "deep strategic partnership," despite ongoing tensions between them in the Arctic, Central Asia, and now concerning North Korea.

"I think it is fair to say that China is somewhat anxious about what's going on between Russia and North Korea. They have indicated so in some of our interactions, and we can see some tension associated with those things," Campbell added. "China is probably worried that North Korea will be somehow encouraged to take provocative steps that could lead to a crisis in Northeast Asia." 

After Putin’s recent visit to North Korea, South Korea stated plans to provide air defense systems and 155-mm artillery shells to Ukraine.