Jake Sullivan, the U.S. National Security Advisor, stated that weapons negotiations between Russia and North Korea are underway, and he warned leader Kim Jong Un that his country would pay the price for supplying Russia with arms to be used in Ukraine.

Sullivan told reporters at the White House that providing weapons to Russia "will not have a good return for North Korea and they will pay the price for that in the international community."

According to statements from U.S. officials earlier, Kim intends to head to Russia this month to meet with President Vladimir Putin to discuss supplying Moscow with weapons.
In response to a question about whether he could confirm these talks, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said earlier on Tuesday: "I cannot (respond). There is nothing to say."

Sullivan said that Kim expects discussions about weapons to continue, including at the leaders' level and "perhaps even in face-to-face meetings."

He added, "We have continued to pressure the Russian defense industrial base," and Moscow is now "looking for any source it can find" for sales such as ammunition.

He went on to say, "We will continue to urge North Korea to adhere to its stated commitments that prevent it from supplying Russia with weapons that ultimately lead to the killing of Ukrainians."

Adrienne Watson, spokesperson for the U.S. National Security Council, stated on Monday that Kim and Putin may plan to meet, and The New York Times reported that U.S. officials and others who wished to remain unnamed said Kim intends to travel to Russia as soon as next week.

A North Korean defense ministry official said in November that Pyongyang "has never made arms deals with Russia" nor "does it intend to do so in the future."