A K1A1 tank of the Republic of Korea fires during a Warrior Shield live fire exercise at a military training field in Pocheon on March 22, 2023, as part of the Freedom Shield joint military exercise with the United States. (PHOTO / AFP)
MOSCOW – Russia's foreign ministry on Friday criticized a nuclear agreement between the United States and the Republic of Korea, saying it would destabilize the region and the wider world, and warned of a potential arms race as a result.
Washington on Wednesday pledged to give Seoul more insight into its nuclear planning, while the ROK promised not to seek nuclear weapons itself in an agreement both sides said was aimed against the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
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This development is clearly destabilizing in nature and will have serious negative consequences for regional security, impacting on global stability.
Foreign Ministry, Russia
Russia has repeatedly railed against what it sees as the US’ growing military presence across Asia.
"This development is clearly destabilizing in nature and will have serious negative consequences for regional security, impacting on global stability," Russia's foreign ministry said in a statement.
Moscow said the US and NATO's drive for "decisive military superiority" would "bring nothing but escalating tensions" and could "provoke an arms race".
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At a joint news conference with US President Joe Biden this week, ROK leader Yoon Suk-yeol said the agreement was aimed at strengthening the ROK’s defenses in the face of what he alleged the DPRK’s rapidly advancing nuclear weapons program.