The United States will do everything possible to stop the supply of weapons from Iran and North Korea to Russia for the war against Ukraine.
This was stated by U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken at a joint press conference with Secretary General Nato in Washington, commenting on Putin’s visit to the DPRK, Suspilne reports.
“North Korea supplies a significant amount of ammunition to Russia, as well as other weapons for use in Ukraine. Iran provides weapons, including drones, which have been used against civilians and civilian infrastructure. We will continue to do everything we can to stop the support provided by countries like Iran and North Korea”, — he said.
He also noted that the United States has “deep concerns” about China, “not in terms of arms, but in terms of providing what Russia needs to maintain its defense industrial base and produce more tanks, more ammunition, more missiles”.
“The fastest way to end the war would be to make Putin think he can outlast Ukraine and all of its allies, and if he knows that the fuel he needs for his war machine is gone”, — Blinken said.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg also said that Putin’s visits to North Korea demonstrate and confirm the very close ties between Russia and “authoritarian states like the DPRK, as well as China and Iran.”
“It also shows that our security is not regional. It is global. What happens in Europe matters to Asia, and what happens in Asia matters to us. And this is clearly demonstrated in Ukraine, where Iran, North Korea, and China are supporting and fueling Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. We see the military support Russia receives from North Korea, as well as from Iran, and how China supports its military economy”, — he said.
Jens Stoltenberg said that the Alliance is also concerned about the potential support that Russia provides to North Korea when it comes to supporting Pyongyang’s missile and nuclear programs.
On June 19, Vladimir Putin arrived in North Korea. This is his first visit to the DPRK in 24 years.
