OSLO (Norway), Sep 16: North Korea may be able to boost Russia’s supply of artillery munitions for the war in Ukraine, but that is not likely to make a big difference, the top American military officer said as he arrived in Norway for NATO meetings that began Saturday and will focus in part on the conflict.
US Army Gen Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the recent meeting in Russia between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin will probably lead North Korea to provide Soviet-era 152 mm artillery rounds to Moscow. But he said it was not yet clear how many or how soon.
“Would it have a huge difference? I’m sceptical of that,” Milley told reporters travelling with him. He said that while he does not want to play down the weapons assistance too much, “I doubt that it would be decisive.”
Foreign governments and experts have speculated that Kim will likely supply ammunition to Russia in exchange for receiving advanced weapons or technology from Russia.
Milley and the other defence chiefs from NATO countries are meeting at the Holmenkollen ski area on the edge of Oslo over the next several days to discuss support for Ukraine and other regional defence issues. From there, Milley will attend the monthly meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group in Germany on Tuesday.
That group, led by US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin, is the main international forum for drumming up military support for Ukraine.
The NATO meetings come as Ukraine forces are making slow progress breaking through Russian battle lines in a counteroffensive that has not moved as quickly or as well as initially hoped. Kyiv’s leaders are lobbying for a new round of advanced weapons, including longer range missiles.
Adm Rob Bauer of the Netherlands, the chair of the NATO Military Committee, said Saturday at the meetings that history will show “Ukraine has transformed modern warfare and they are moving forward every day. Every success is one step closer to victory”.
He said Russian forces “keep losing more and more ground, and the whole of Russia is suffering under the impact of economic sanctions and diplomatic isolation”.
Milley said the group will include defence chiefs from Britain, Norway, Netherlands, Italy, Germany, France, Denmark, Canada, Belgium, Australia, New Zealand and Japan. (AP)
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