Blinken Condemns Steps By Russia, North Korea To Deepen Military Ties

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken condemned deepening military cooperation between the North Korea and Russia, including the transfer of arms in violation of multiple UN Security Council resolutions, the State Department said on June 21. In a call with South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul, the top U.S. diplomat also reaffirmed the vital importance of the "ironclad" U.S.-South Korea alliance in "promoting peace, security, and prosperity around the world," spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement. Blinken also thanked the South Korean minister for his country’s continued support for Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un this week signed a defense deal during Putin's visit to Pyongyang.