Read NV on Google
The White House called Vladimir Putin's visit to North Korea and the signing of a strategic partnership agreement an "expansion of partnership," said Michael Carpenter, Senior Director for European Affairs at the White House National Security Council, Ukrinform reported on June 20.
"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.
The military war may be swinging in our favor, but the information war continues.
Just as an army needs soldiers, so does a free society need its journalists to ensure that people have access to honest, trustworthy voices to understand the world around them.
For the past five years, The New Voice of Ukraine has been working tirelessly to push back against Russian narratives and defend democracy. But we cannot do it alone.
Please consider supporting us on Patreon for just $5 a month – your donation does directly to supporting journalists and ensuring that this front of the infowar says solid and defended.
Thank you.
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Google News
