Russia Rejects U.S. Proposal to Reopen Arms-Control Dialogue
Michael R. Gordon | The Wall Street Journal
Russia has rejected an American proposal to reopen an arms-control dialogue with Washington, saying the U.S. was pursuing a hostile policy toward Moscow, U.S. officials said Thursday. The absence of talks between the two sides on reducing nuclear risks and potential arms-control steps comes during the worst downturn in U.S.-Russia relations since the end of the Cold War and has raised fears of a new arms race.
How the Ukraine War Is Aiding North Korea’s Illicit-Arms Business
Dasl Yoon and Timothy W. Martin | The Wall Street Journal
One of the world’s biggest illicit-arms suppliers just got a major advertisement.In recent weeks, Russian forces have fired short-range ballistic missiles in Ukraine provided by North Korea, according to assessments from Washington, Seoul and Kyiv. Pyongyang has provided Moscow with dozens of the weapons, the U.S. says. Officials concluded that North Korean weapons were being used by analyzing debris collected in Ukraine. Russia is believed to have used Pyongyang’s new KN-23 and KN-24 short-range missiles, defense experts say. Both countries have denied engaging in arms transfers.
Top U.S. Nuclear Envoy Says N.K.'s Belligerent Rhetoric Creates 'Unnecessary' Tensions
Kim Seung-yeon | Yonhap News Agency
The top U.S. nuclear envoy for North Korea expressed deep concern Thursday over North Korea's belligerent rhetoric against South Korea, saying it is increasing "unnecessary" tensions on the Korean Peninsula. Jung Pak, U.S. senior official for North Korea, made the remarks ahead of trilateral talks with her respective South Korean and Japanese counterparts, Kim Gunn and Hiroyuki Namazu, saying the North Korean issue remains "an extraordinarily high concern" for the United States.
Iran Frustrates Nuclear Monitors as Its Uranium Stockpile Grows
Jonathan Tirone | Bloomberg
Iran is frustrating international efforts to examine its nuclear program as it speeds up its production of uranium enriched close to the level needed for weapons. International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors figure Iran now has sufficient quantities of highly-enriched uranium to build several atomic warheads, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi told Bloomberg News Thursday in an interview in Davos, Switzerland. “It is a very frustrating cycle,” Grossi said. “We don’t understand why they don’t provide the necessary transparency.”
Iran’s New Missile Fleet: Part Deterrent, Part Sales Pitch
Lara Jakes and David E. Sanger | The New York Times
When Iran launched a barrage of airstrikes this week into Iraq, Syria and Pakistan, it was not just showing off the reach and sophistication of some of its newest missiles but also staking a claim: This is a new era in which Iran can flex its muscles at will and, as an added benefit, bolster its credentials as an important arms supplier.
Northrop Test Fires Rocket Motor for New Nuclear Missile
Stephen Losey | Defense News
Northrop Grumman on Tuesday announced it successfully test fired the second-stage solid-rocket motor for the LGM-35A Sentinel nuclear missile now under development.The full-scale static fire test was carried out in a vacuum chamber at the U.S. Air Force’s Arnold Engineering Development Complex in Tennessee, which Northrop said simulated the high-altitude and space flight conditions the intercontinental ballistic missile’s rocket motor would encounter during an actual launch.