Defense deal between Russia and North Korea could create friction with China: US official

Cape Green:

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s mutual defense agreement with North Korea has the potential to create friction with China, which has long been the reclusive state’s main ally, the top US military official said on Sunday.

“We have another person who is stepping in now, so this could create a little more friction between (China) and Russia,” Air Force Gen. CQ Brown, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters during a trip to the exterior. trip.

“So it will be interesting to see how these three countries – how this plays out.”

Analysts said the pact, signed on Wednesday, could undermine Beijing’s influence over its two neighbors and any increase in instability could be negative for China’s global economic and strategic ambitions.

On Thursday, Putin said Russia could supply weapons to North Korea, in what he suggested would be a mirror response to Western arming of Ukraine.

Brown acknowledged U.S. concerns about the deal.

But he also tempered those remarks, noting apparent limitations to the deal and expressing doubts that Moscow would give North Korea “everything” it wanted.

U.S. officials have said they believe North Korea is interested in acquiring combat aircraft, surface-to-air missiles, armored vehicles, ballistic missile production equipment or materials and other advanced technologies from Russia.

“The feedback I have on the agreement is a broad agreement that is not overly binding, which gives an indication that they want to work together but don’t want their hands tied,” Brown said.

The treaty signed by Putin and Kim on Wednesday commits each side to providing immediate military assistance to the other in the event of armed aggression against either side.

Putin said Moscow hopes its cooperation with North Korea will serve as a deterrent to the West, but there is no need to use North Korean soldiers for the war in Ukraine.

The United States and Ukraine claim that North Korea has already supplied Russia with significant quantities of artillery shells and ballistic missiles, which Moscow and Pyongyang deny.

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