The United States said on Tuesday that Russia would violate UN resolutions if it reached an arms deal with North Korea, after Moscow and Pyongyang pledged to boost cooperation, AFP and Reuters reported.

Washington remains “deeply concerned” that North Korea is helping Russia in its military efforts in Ukraine and believes Moscow is trying to increase cooperation with Pyongyang, State Department Deputy Spokesman Vedant Patel said on Tuesday.

“Any security cooperation or arms deal between North Korea and Russia would certainly violate a number of UN Security Council resolutions,” said Vedant Patel, a spokesman for the US State Reporter Service.

“Strategic love letters” of Putin and Kim

Russian President Vladimir Putin called for closer cooperation with Pyongyang in a message to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Tuesday morning.

Kim Jong-un “stressed the need to continue the development of strategic and tactical cooperation between the two countries in the field of security and defense,” Defense Minister Kang Sun-nam said in a statement.

The United States suspects Moscow of trying to obtain weapons from its North Korean ally.

The promises of increased cooperation come as the leaders of South Korea, the United States and Japan are due to meet in Washington on Friday to strengthen security cooperation between them in the face of an increasingly threatening North Korea. .

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin exchanged letters on Tuesday pledging to develop ties into what Kim called a “long-term strategic relationship,” state media KCNA reported.

• Vladimir Putin, a laudatory message to Kim Jong Un

The letters mark the 78th anniversary of Korea’s liberation from Japanese colonial rule from 1910 to 1945, which is also celebrated as a national holiday in South Korea.

In his letter to Putin, Kim Jong-un said the two countries’ friendship was cemented in World War II with the victory over Japan and now “fully demonstrates its invincibility and strength in the struggle to destroy the arbitrariness and hegemony of the imperialists.” KCNA said.

“I firmly believe that friendship and solidarity … will be further developed into a lasting strategic relationship in accordance with the requirements of the new era,” Kim said in the letter.

“The two countries will always emerge as winners by strongly supporting and cooperating with each other in the pursuit of a common goal and cause.”

In his message to Kim, Putin also promised to strengthen bilateral relations.

“I am confident that we will strengthen bilateral cooperation in all fields for the sake of the welfare of the two peoples and the strong stability and security of the Korean Peninsula and the whole of Northeast Asia,” Putin said, according to KCNA.

The United States has accused North Korea of ​​supplying Russia with weapons for the war in Ukraine, including artillery shells and missiles. Pyongyang and Moscow deny any arms deal.

Last month, Russia’s defense minister stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Kim Jong Un as they inspected North Korea’s newest nuclear missiles and attack drones at a military parade in Pyongyang.