NATO Secretary General Expresses Concern Over North Korea-Russia Military Closeness Amid Putin's Visit to North Korea

"An Important Issue Even for Asia That Does Not Watch"

As Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to North Korea is underway, Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), expressed concerns about the potential military closeness between Russia and North Korea.

Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Speaking in an interview with the British BBC aired on the 17th (local time) during his visit to Washington D.C., Stoltenberg said, "Russia is aligning itself not only with authoritarian leaders in Iran and China but also with North Korea."

He explained, "North Korea has sent over one million artillery shells to Russia to support the invasion of Ukraine, and Russia is providing North Korea with missile and nuclear program technology," adding, "This shows how Russia is violating United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions." He further added, "Security is not just a regional issue confined to Ukraine and Europe but is also an important issue in Asia."

President Putin is scheduled to visit North Korea from the 18th to the 19th. During this period, Russia and North Korea are expected to sign a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement.

Regarding China's support for Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Stoltenberg criticized, saying, "(China) shares key technologies related to missiles, weapons development, and microelectronics used in Ukraine with Russia, while simultaneously trying to maintain normal economic relations with NATO allies in Europe."