Russian President Vladimir Putin indicated on Thursday that Russia may consider supplying weapons to North Korea, echoing Western support for Ukraine amid the ongoing conflict. The announcement follows a recent visit to North Korea, where Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed a mutual defense agreement.
“We then reserve the right to supply weapons to other regions of the world,” Putin stated, referring to the agreements with North Korea. He suggested that arming North Korea could be a “mirror response” to the Western provision of advanced weaponry to Ukraine.
The new defense pact between Moscow and Pyongyang obliges each nation to offer immediate military assistance if either faces armed aggression. Despite this, Putin dismissed the idea of using North Korean troops in the Ukraine conflict: “We are not asking anyone for this, no one has offered us this, therefore there is no need.”
Western nations have expressed alarm over the strengthening ties between Russia and North Korea, a state isolated due to its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs. These concerns are heightened by accusations from the U.S. and Ukraine that North Korea has already supplied Russia with artillery shells and ballistic missiles, claims both Moscow and Pyongyang deny.
Putin also issued a warning to South Korea against supplying arms to Ukraine, suggesting that such a move would provoke a significant response from Moscow: “South Korea would be making ‘a big mistake’… we would respond in a way that would be painful for Seoul.”
Additionally, Putin mentioned potential changes to Russia’s nuclear doctrine, driven by perceived shifts in the West’s approach to nuclear weapons. He cited discussions among Western experts about developing low-yield nuclear devices and lowering the threshold for their use.
“In particular, explosive nuclear devices of extremely low power are being developed. And we know that there are ideas floating around in expert circles in the West that such means of destruction could be used,” Putin said, emphasizing that Russia must remain vigilant about these developments.
