"Regarding the meeting between Putin and Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang, and all the pomp and circumstance that reflects the totalitarian nature of the DPRK regime, it is clear that this meeting was about expanding the partnership," Carpenter said.
He noted that this also indicates Russia's position on the world stage. Russia's closest partners are North Korea, Iran, Syria, and "to some extent" China. While China does not provide Russia with weapons, it sends many dual-use products for the production of advanced weapons systems.
These products include nitrocellulose for the manufacture of gunpowder, optics, and machine tools for the Russian military-industrial complex, according to Carpenter. This increases threats to the security of Ukraine and Europe, he noted.
"This is, in a broad sense, a coalition that Russia is assembling," the White House official said. However, it does not compare to the 50-country coalition in the Contact Group on Ukraine's Defense and the approximately 100 countries that "supported the principles of the UN Charter in Switzerland at the Peace Summit."
Putin's visit to DPRK
White House spokesman John Kirby expressed concern about the deepening relations between Russia and North Korea, particularly regarding its impact on the war in Ukraine and security on the Korean Peninsula.