'Deeply Scary': Blumenthal Decries Russia Potentially Providing North Korea With Nuclear 'Expertise'

3 months ago

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) spoke about Russia potentially lending nuclear expertise to North Korea as part of their new defense pact.

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Transcript

00:00Thank you.

00:01Are there specific sanctions that would kick in with this designation that are not currently

00:06in place right now?

00:07And the second question is, would Putin in North Korea say that he supports North Korea's

00:12ability to enhance their own defense capabilities?

00:15Would you take that as an explosive endorsement of their nuclear program?

00:21I think it is an endorsement of their nuclear program.

00:28I will tell you, again, I don't want to hold up the picture for a third time, but this

00:35photograph is not just outrageous, it is deeply scary because it signals cooperation not only

00:48against Ukraine, but against the United States.

00:52And I don't even need to go into the classified briefings that we've received to tell you

00:58how frightening the idea is that Russia would be lending its nuclear expertise to North

01:06Korea.

01:07Remember, Russia for years and years opposed North Korea getting exactly this kind of capacity,

01:20because it was so frightened of what this madman might do.

01:26So I interpret it as an endorsement, and that is one of the reasons why I think we need

01:35to use every tool available.

01:38And if nothing else, let me just tell you what one practical consequence would be.

01:46Russia's sovereign immunity in our courts would be severely restricted and curtailed.

01:52As a state sponsor of terrorism, there would also be consequences for sanctions enforcement

01:57and other results.

'Deeply Scary': Blumenthal Decries Russia Potentially Providing North Korea With Nuclear 'Expertise'

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