Is Moscow seeking weapons from Kim?

U.S. alleges Kremlin planning to barter food, commodities

The White House on Thursday said it has new evidence that Russia is looking again to North Korea for weapons to fuel the war in Ukraine, this time in a deal that would provide Pyongyang with needed food and other commodities in return.

It’s the latest accusation that Russia, desperate for weaponry and restricted by sanctions and export controls, is turning to “rogue” nations to help it continue to prosecute the 13-month-old war. “As part of this proposed deal, Russia would receive over two dozen kinds of weapons and munitions from Pyongyang,” White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said. “We also understand that Russia is seeking to send a delegation to North Korea and that Russia is offering North Korea food in exchange for munitions.”

The administration has previously declassified intel to present proof that Iran sold hundreds of attack drones to Russia over the summer and that the Wagner Group, a private Russian military company, has taken delivery of arms from North Korea to help bolster its forces as they fight side-by-side with Russian troops in Ukraine.

Experts believe the food situation in North Korea is the worst it has been under Kim Jong Un’s 11-year rule, but they still say they see no signs of imminent famine or mass deaths. Kim vowed to strengthen state control over agriculture and take a spate of other steps to increase grain production, North Korean state media reported earlier this month.

Turkey ratifies Finland’s NATO membership

Turkey’s parliament on Thursday ratified Finland’s application to join NATO, lifting the last hurdle in the way of the Nordic country’s long-delayed accession into the western military alliance. All 276 lawmakers present voted unanimously in favour of Finland’s bid, days after Hungary’s parliament also endorsed Helsinki’s accession.

Alarmed by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine a year ago, Finland and Sweden abandoned their decadeslong policy of nonalignment and applied to join the alliance.

Full unanimity is required to admit new members and Turkey and Hungary were the last two NATO members to ratify Finland’s accession. Sweden’s bid to join the alliance, meanwhile, has been left hanging.