IRIA News

Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned South Korea against providing weapons to Ukraine. Putin said Seoul would be making “a big mistake” if it arms Ukraine in the war against Russia.

While speaking to reporters in Vietnam, shortly after concluding a visit to Pyongyang, the Russian president said that Moscow “will… [make] decisions which are unlikely to please the current leadership of South Korea” if Seoul decides to supply arms to Kyiv.

“Those who supply these weapons believe that they are not at war with us. I said, including in Pyongyang, that we then reserve the right to supply weapons to other regions of the world,” he said.

Putin’s comments follow Seoul’s announcement that it is considering the possibility of providing weapons to Ukraine in response to the new defense cooperation pact signed between Russia and North Korea to support each other in the event of “aggression” against either nation.

In response to Putin’s visit to North Korea and the new defense pact between Moscow and Pyongyang, South Korea’s presidential office announced that it would consider “various options” for supplying arms to Ukraine, with its stance depending on Russia’s approach to the issue.

Last week, South Korea also summoned the Russian ambassador, Georgy Zinoviev, to protest the defense pact, demanding that Moscow “immediately cease” military cooperation with Pyongyang.

South Korean Vice Foreign Minister Kim Hong Kyun emphasized that any cooperation directly or indirectly aiding North Korea in building up its military capabilities would violate U.N. Security Council resolutions and threaten South Korea’s security. He also warned of potential consequences for Seoul’s relations with Moscow.

In response, Zinoviev told South Korean officials that any attempts to “threaten or blackmail” Russia were unacceptable, adding that Russia’s agreement with North Korea was not targeted at any specific third countries, according to a statement posted on the Russian embassy’s social media accounts. The South Korean ministry stated that Zinoviev promised to convey Seoul’s concerns to his superiors in Moscow.

The Russian leader’s remarks came shortly after a grand visit to Pyongyang where he signed a mutual defense agreement with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

South Korea’s support of Ukraine

While South Korea has provided humanitarian aid and military equipment to Ukraine, it has so far refused to supply lethal weapons due to its official policy against arming countries at war.

However, the growing military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang has prompted Seoul to reconsider its stance. Analysts suggested that the Ukrainian administration, which is currently seeking military support all over the world, would use Putin’s visit to Pyongyang to increase the pressure on South Korea to initiate a military aid program for Ukraine.

During Putin’s visit, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un pledged “full support” for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. There is increasing evidence that Russia has already been using North Korean missiles in Ukraine.

Early on Friday, U.S. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby commented on the Russian-North Korean agreement, stating that it should “be of concern to any country that cares about maintaining peace and stability” in the region.

Putin visits North Korea and Vietnam to shore up ties in Asia

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s recent visits to North Korea and Vietnam are attempts to bolster ties in Asia to break the international isolation over its war in Ukraine.

In Hanoi, Russian President Putin and Vietnamese President To Lam signed at least a dozen deals and agreed to further cooperate in education, science and technology, oil and gas exploration and clean energy. Lam said that both Russia and Vietnam wanted to “further cooperate in defense and security to cope with non-traditional security challenges.” Putin said the two share an interest in “developing a reliable security architecture” in the Asia-Pacific region with no room for “closed military-political blocs.”

In Pyongyang, the leaders of Russia and North Korea signed a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty that included both countries pledging to assist each other if attacked. The full scope of the treaty was not publicized. However, Kim said the agreement was their “strongest ever treaty,” reflecting shared desires to move relations to a higher level.