Putin Issues Unprecedented Warning: "Relations Will Collapse If South Korea Supplies Weapons to Ukraine"

Showing closeness with China and North Korea... "Close friends"
Taiwan issue also mentioned... "US must not provoke China"

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Russian President Vladimir Putin unusually singled out South Korea, warning that relations could collapse if it supplies weapons to Ukraine. Regarding the Northeast Asian situation, he explicitly supported China and North Korea, mentioning the North Korean nuclear issue and the Taiwan issue.

According to Russia's Sputnik News on the 27th (local time), during a meeting of the Valdai Club, an international Russian expert group held in Moscow, President Putin discussed international affairs for over three hours and said, "I understand that South Korea has decided to provide weapons and ammunition to Ukraine," adding, "If South Korea supplies weapons to Ukraine, bilateral relations will collapse," issuing a strong warning.

While President Putin has so far directly criticized the United States, the European Union (EU), and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) regarding support for Ukraine, it is highly unusual for him to directly name South Korea and issue a warning. Regarding the Northeast Asian situation, Putin also criticized both the United States and South Korea, stating, "The United States was close to reaching an agreement on North Korea's nuclear program but changed its stance and imposed sanctions again."

President Putin also openly supported China's position on the Taiwan issue. He criticized, "Why does an American grandmother visit Taiwan to provoke China? It is wrong for the United States to ruin relations with China." Referring to U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who visited Taiwan in August amid protests from the Chinese government, as "grandmother," he labeled the U.S. Taiwan policy as a "provocation."

This statement is interpreted as expressing concern over additional military support from U.S. allies in Asia beyond Western countries such as the United States and the EU, amid increasing international isolation and worsening conditions in the Ukraine war. In particular, President Putin reiterated close diplomacy with China, emphasizing, "Chinese President Xi Jinping is a close friend of mine."

Regarding the ongoing war in Ukraine, President Putin heightened threats by further suggesting the possibility of nuclear weapon use while emphasizing the importance of dialogue with the West. He warned, "The world will experience the most dangerous decade since World War II," adding, "As long as nuclear weapons exist, the risk of their use will always remain."

He continued, "The United States and its allies are playing a dangerous and bloody game in Ukraine, but ultimately, we must engage in dialogue," and opened the possibility of talks by stating, "Russia is ready to talk with Ukraine, and if Ukraine changes its stance and the United States signals for a peaceful resolution, the issue can be easily resolved."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.