US "Concerned" About Closer Ties Between Russia, North Korea: White House

The United States is "concerned" about closer ties between Russia and North Korea, the White House said Monday, ahead of a rare state visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin to Pyongyang.

"We're not concerned about the trip. What we are concerned about is the deepening relationship between these two countries," National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters.

Kirby said this concern was "not just because of the impact it's going to have on the Ukrainian people, because we know North Korean ballistic missiles are still being used to hit Ukrainian targets, but because there could be some reciprocity here that could affect security on the Korean peninsula."