The U.S. State Department said in a statement today that the United States retains the right to impose additional sanctions in light of the planned discussions regarding arms supplies between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller stated, "Any transfer of weapons from North Korea to Russia would be considered a violation of multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions."

Miller added that Washington would not hesitate to impose new sanctions on the two countries. He also noted that Russia's need for weapons indicates its weakness.

Miller clarified, referring to the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine that began in February 2022, "The fact that Russia is forced to beg North Korea for military support is evidence of the effectiveness of our sanctions and export controls, and they have been deprived of the weapons and raw materials they need to continue this war."

Miller remarked, "The necessity for (Putin) to travel across his country all this distance to meet an international pariah to seek assistance in a war he expected to win in its first month? My description of that is he is begging for help."