Retired Army Lt. Col. Tony Shaffer told Newsmax on Friday that Russia seeking an arms deal with North Korea to help in Russia's war against Ukraine is a "logical extension" given President Vladimir Putin's tight relationship with China.
"I think the Chinese support of Russia has been way underreported," Shaffer told "The Chris Salcedo Show" and guest host Todd Starnes. "My friend and colleague Gordon Chang has said that there's ample evidence that's hidden in plain sight that the Chinese are actually providing material weapons support to Putin.
"The use of North Korea is a logical extension. North Korea has produced a significant amount of conventional ammunition, [and] that is something the Russians are chewing through pretty quickly. It makes perfect sense the North Koreans, who need hard currency, will sell this sort of thing to the Russians for a profit."
On Wednesday, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, issued a statement on behalf of the U.S., France, Japan, South Korea, and Great Britain about "deeply troubling information" that arms negotiations between Russia and North Korea are "actively advancing."
"I'm not surprised, and it's something that we need to be aware of and account for as we continue to work to support Ukraine and their efforts to stop Russia," Shaffer said.
Thomas-Greenfield said during Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu's visit to North Korea in late July to take part in a celebration marking the 70th anniversary of the Korean War armistice that the two nations discussed the sale of artillery ammunition to Russia.
"Since then, Vladimir Putin and [North Korea Supreme Leader] Kim Jong Un have exchanged letters pledging to increase their bilateral cooperation," Thomas-Greenfield said. "Our information further indicates that, following Shoigu's visit, another group of Russian officials traveled to [North Korea] for follow-up discussions about potential arms deals between [North Korea] and Russia.
"Russia is negotiating potential deals for significant quantities and multiple types of munitions from [North Korea] to be used against Ukraine. These potential deals could also include the provision of raw materials that would assist Russia's defense industrial base. In its pursuit of these weapons, Russia will violate Security Council resolutions, including resolutions Russia itself voted for."
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Michael Katz ✉
Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting and editing on news, culture, and politics.
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