US expresses alarm over Russia's growing support for nuclear-armed North Korea

The United States expressed significant concern at the United Nations Security Council on December 18 regarding Russia's proximity to accepting a nuclear-armed North Korea, as Moscow and Pyongyang defended their expanding cooperation.

In September, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that Moscow considered the idea of "denuclearizing" North Korea to be a closed issue, acknowledging Pyongyang's rationale of relying on nuclear weapons as the cornerstone of its defence, Caliber.Az reports citing foreign media.

"Alarmingly, we assess that Russia may be close to accepting North Korea's nuclear-weapons program, reversing Moscow's decades-long commitment to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula," said US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield.  

"We believe that Moscow will become more reluctant not only to criticize Pyongyang's development of nuclear weapons, but also further obstruct passage of sanctions or resolutions condemning North Korea's destabilizing behavior," she added.

South Korea and Britain condemned Lavrov's statements, arguing that he had undermined the global non-proliferation regime. Britain's Deputy UN Ambassador, James Kariuki, characterized Lavrov's comments as a "reckless departure from the agreed principle of complete, verifiable and irreversible disarmament."

In response, Russia’s UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia refrained from discussing North Korea's nuclear program in his speech, instead defending the growing Russia-Pyongyang relationship as being within Russia’s sovereign rights. He remarked, "Russian cooperation with the DPRK ... is in accordance with international law, not in violation thereof. This is not directed against any third countries. It does not pose any threat to states in the region or the international community, and have no doubt we will continue to develop such cooperation."

Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the country has strengthened its diplomatic and military ties with North Korea, with Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visiting each other’s countries. Russia is reportedly utilizing North Korean troops to assist in combatting Ukrainian forces in Russia's Kursk region.

North Korea's UN Ambassador Kim Song portrayed the increasing cooperation with Russia as a "positive contribution to international peace and security." He also stated, referencing what Pyongyang views as a US-led nuclear military alliance in the region, "Outbreak of the nuclear war in Northeast Asia is no longer a possibility, but a matter of time."

South Korea's UN Ambassador Joonkook Hwang cautioned the Security Council to "expect further uncertainties looming over the horizon" as US President-elect Donald Trump prepares for a second term in office next month. He warned, "North Korea has a history of provocative actions during US presidential transitions, designed to grab attention, raise the stakes and set the stage for direct negotiations with the new US administration." He predicted, "This pattern can recur within the upcoming months. This time it could be another ICBM (intercontinental ballistic missile) or military satellite launch or even its seventh nuclear test."

Since 2006, North Korea has been subjected to UN Security Council sanctions, which have progressively intensified over the years with the objective of halting the country’s development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles.

By Vafa Guliyeva