Putin suggests that Russia might consider supplying weapons to North Korea.

President Vladimir Putin suggested that Russia could potentially supply weapons to North Korea as a reciprocal response to Western countries arming Ukraine. Putin made these remarks to reporters in Vietnam on Thursday, following his visit to North Korea and the signing of a mutual defense agreement with its leader, Kim Jong Un.

Western nations have ostracized North Korea due to its development of nuclear and ballistic missiles in defiance of UN sanctions, viewing the strengthening ties between Moscow and Pyongyang with apprehension.

Putin had previously warned that Russia might supply arms to adversaries of the West in response to Western nations providing Ukraine with advanced weaponry and authorizing its use against targets within Russia.

In his latest statements, Putin indicated that North Korea could potentially be a beneficiary of Russian arms. He stated, "I said, including in Pyongyang, that we then reserve the right to supply weapons to other regions of the world. Taking into account our agreements with [North Korea], I do not exclude this either."

The treaty signed by Putin and Kim commits each side to provide immediate military support to the other in case of armed aggression.

Putin emphasized that Moscow anticipates its collaboration with North Korea will act as a deterrent to the West but clarified that North Korean troops would not be employed in the conflict in Ukraine. He noted, "Regarding the possibility of somehow using each other’s capabilities in the conflict in Ukraine, we are not asking anyone for this, no one has offered us this, therefore there is no need."

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

Putin warned South Korea against supplying arms to Ukraine, describing it as a "big mistake," and cautioned that Moscow would respond in a manner that would be uncomfortable for Seoul.

These statements came after reports from the South Korean news agency Yonhap suggested that Seoul would review the possibility of supplying weapons to Ukraine following the mutual defense pact signed by Putin and Kim.

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

South Korea has experienced significant growth in international arms sales in recent years but has maintained a longstanding policy of refraining from selling weapons to active conflict zones, despite calls from the US and Ukraine to reconsider.

There is ongoing debate regarding the strength of the security commitment entailed in the agreement between Russia and North Korea. While some analysts view the pact as a complete restoration of the Cold War-era alliance between the two nations, others believe it appears more symbolic than substantive.

Ankit Panda, a senior analyst at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, remarked that the text of the agreement seemed carefully worded to avoid implying automatic military intervention.

However, Panda emphasized, "The big picture here is that both sides are willing to put down on paper, and show the world, just how widely they intend to expand the scope of their cooperation."

During his discussions with reporters in Hanoi, Putin also elaborated on previous comments regarding nuclear weapons, indicating that Moscow was contemplating potential revisions to its doctrine concerning their use.

Russia's current doctrine permits the use of nuclear weapons in response to a nuclear attack or a conventional attack posing an existential threat to the state.

Since the onset of the conflict in Ukraine, some Russian military analysts advocating for revisions to this doctrine, even proposing the possibility of a nuclear strike to "sober up" adversaries in the West.

Putin disclosed that Russia was considering changes to its doctrine due to developments among its potential adversaries related to lowering the threshold for nuclear use. He expressed concern over the development of low-yield nuclear devices and discussions within Western expert circles regarding their potential use.

Putin emphasized, "In particular, explosive nuclear devices of extremely low power are being developed. And we know that there are ideas floating around in expert circles in the West that such means of destruction could be used."

He clarified that while these developments were not particularly alarming, Russia needed to monitor them closely.

Since the launch of what he characterizes as a special military operation in Ukraine in February 2022 to safeguard Russia's security, Putin has frequently underscored the size and capability of Russia's nuclear arsenal, cautioning the West against escalating the conflict further.