Friday Briefing

Putin threatened to arm North Korea

Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, directly warned the U.S. and its allies that he was willing to arm North Korea, in violation of U.N. sanctions.

Speaking to reporters in Vietnam before returning to Russia, Putin cast his threat as a response to Western nations that have provided weapons that Ukraine has used to strike Russian territory.

“Those who supply these weapons believe that they are not at war with us. Well, as I said, including in Pyongyang, then we reserve the right to supply weapons to other regions of the world,” Putin said, referring to the North Korean capital.

Though Putin didn’t say what weapons he would give to North Korea, Kim Jong-un, the country’s leader, is seeking to advance his nuclear warheads, missiles, submarines and satellites, all areas in which Russia possesses some of the world’s most sophisticated and dangerous technology.

Background: For years, Russia supported U.N. efforts to constrain North Korea’s nuclear weapon and missile programs. But now Putin is calling for an end to sanctions he once approved of to raise the cost of U.S. support for Ukraine and to secure conventional ammunition and weaponry from North Korea.

Context: This week Putin reaffirmed a mutual defense pact with North Korea, rattling officials in South Korea and Japan and creating a new headache for China.