The United States is keeping tabs on Russia and North Korea as they reportedly become increasingly active in their arms deal negotiations. According to US officials, the parties are in the midst of formal talks to potentially reach an agreement to provide defensive weapons to both the DPRK and beyond the Korean peninsula.
It has also been revealed that the weapons Russia is offering North Korea include, but are not limited to, cruise missiles and air defense systems. In addition, the two nations have further discussed plans to enhance military ties between themselves and have allegedly set up factories in the East Asian country for the production of weapons.
Russia and North Korea have had a strong relationship since the former Soviet Union supplied the latter with arms during the Korean War, and it appears this collaborative effort is only growing stronger despite the US-led sanctions on the two countries. This has raised serious strategic interests from the US, China, and Japan as a potential arms deal between the two can drastically change the military landscape in East Asia.
With the US filibustering in the United Nations, the Trump administration has also refused to grant sanctions relief to North Korea until it has received full disclosure of its nuclear and ballistic missile programs. This refusal has only added fuel to the fire between Washington, Moscow, and Pyongyang, and it looks like only time will tell how this potential arms race will shake out.
If an arms deal were to be reached between Russia and North Korea, the consequences would reverberate beyond East Asia and alter the simulation of the nuclear balance of power in the region. The safety and security of the entire region would be affected, making it even more important for the US to be able to accurately assess the situation and make the necessary steps to ensure global security.
Overall, the arms negotiations between Russia and North Korea represent a delicate and complicated issue that the US must stay vigilant about. If the two countries are successful in reaching an agreement, then it could mean devastating consequences for stability in the region. It is in the best interests of the US and the world that such a situation should not come to fruition.
