Kirby said Pyongyang aims to secure food supplies in exchange for a potential arms deal, which is being arranged through a Slovakian arms dealer, identified as Ashot Mkrtychev.

“We remain concerned that North Korea will provide further support to Russia's military operations against Ukraine,” Kirby said.

“As part of this proposed deal, Russia would receive over two dozen kinds of weapons and munitions from Pyongyang. We also understand that Russia is seeking to send a delegation to North Korea and that Russia is offering North Korea food in exchange for munitions,” he added.

US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control announced sanctions against Ashot Mkrtychev, claiming he attempted to facilitate arms deals between Russia and North Korea.

“Between the end of 2022 and early 2023, Mkrtychev worked with DPRK officials to obtain over two dozen kinds of weapons and munitions for Russia in exchange for materials ranging from commercial aircraft, raw materials, and commodities to be sent to the DPRK,” the department said in a statement earlier Thursday. (ILKHA)