Russia warns S. Korea over supplying lethal weapons to Ukraine

On Sunday (local time), Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko issued a stern warning, stating, “If South Korea supplies weapons to Ukraine, we will respond by all means necessary.” Michael Waltz, a Republican congressman recently designated as National Security Advisor in President-elect Donald Trump’s administration, also urged caution, emphasizing that a swift resolution to the Russia-Ukraine conflict would be a priority for the new administration.

According to Russia’s state-run TASS news agency, Rudenko warned, “If South Korean weapons are used to kill Russian citizens, relations between our countries will be completely destroyed,” adding that Russia will respond in any way it deems necessary. This statement underscores Russia’s intent to retaliate if South Korea provides lethal weapons to Ukraine, particularly in response to North Korea’s deployment of troops to support Russia.

Waltz echoed these concerns in an interview with Fox News on the same day. Addressing Russia’s recent escalation of nuclear threats—including its launch of multi-warhead intermediate-range ballistic missiles (IRBMs) at Ukraine—Waltz described the situation as a “clear escalation” that deeply concerns President-elect Trump. He criticized the Biden administration for allowing Ukraine to strike Russian territory with U.S.-made weapons as a countermeasure to North Korea’s troop deployment, stating, “The concern is where this escalation is going.”

Waltz also expressed apprehension about South Korea’s potential involvement. “South Korea is thinking about getting involved, and our (U.S.) have extended their missiles as well (to Ukraine),” he said. He called for a responsible end to the conflict, emphasizing the need to restore deterrence and restore peace. Waltz warned that escalation from one side leads to escalation from the other thus we need to have serious discussions about how to achieve peace. He also underscored the importance of initiating peace negotiations with Russia.