U.S. says Russia has made 'shameful' moves toward new North Korea arms deals

In side-by-side photos: Russian President Vladimir Putin listens during a meeting in Moscow, Aug. 23, and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un speaks during a meeting of the ruling Workers' Party at its headquarters in Pyongyang, North Korea, in early 2023. Mikhail Klimentyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool and Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP hide caption

toggle caption Mikhail Klimentyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool and Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP

In side-by-side photos: Russian President Vladimir Putin listens during a meeting in Moscow, Aug. 23, and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un speaks during a meeting of the ruling Workers' Party at its headquarters in Pyongyang, North Korea, in early 2023.

Mikhail Klimentyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool and Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP

The United States has accused Russia of trying to do major arms deals with North Korea, following a new U.S. intelligence report that claimed the two countries were "actively advancing" high-level talks for additional weapons to support Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

On Wednesday, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, stood alongside her counterparts from Japan, South Korea and Britain to condemn Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu for going to a recent military parade in North Korea, also known as the DPRK.

"The United States is now able to share that Shoigu's visit was more than just a photo op," Thomas-Greenfield said. "Russia used this visit to the DPRK to try to convince Pyongyang to sell artillery ammunition to Russia."

Washington and its Asian allies' relations with both Pyongyang and Moscow have continued to deteriorate since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

On Wednesday, South Korea said North Korea launched two short-range ballistic missiles, hours after the U.S. flew at least one long-range bomber to the Korean Peninsula in warnings to Pyongyang.