Putin ‘Does Not Rule Out’ Sending Weapons To North Korea

During a trip to Vietnam, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Moscow might send missiles to North Korea, framing it as a response to Western nations supplying Ukraine with weapons. This declaration followed Putin's signing of a mutual defense pact with North Korea earlier in the week.

Putin emphasized that Russia reserves the right to supply arms to other regions, including North Korea, in reaction to Western actions in Ukraine.

"Those who send these [missiles to Ukraine] think that they are not fighting us, but I said, including in Pyongyang, that we then reserve the right to supply weapons to other regions of the world, with regard to our agreements with the DPRK," Putin remarked. "I do not rule this one out."

In response, South Korea expressed "grave concern" over the Russia-North Korea treaty, with a senior official indicating that Seoul might reconsider its policy of not sending arms directly to Ukraine.

However, Putin dismissed these concerns, asserting that South Korea has "nothing to worry about." He warned Seoul against supplying weapons to Kyiv, describing such a move as a significant mistake. 

"In connection to sending lethal weapons to combat zones in Ukraine, this would be a very big mistake. I hope this will not happen," he said, adding, "If it will, then we will take the appropriate decision that the current South Korean leadership will probably not like."

South Korea has experienced significant growth in international military sales in recent years but maintains a longstanding policy against selling weapons to active conflict zones, a stance it has upheld despite calls from the US and Ukraine to reconsider.