On September 3, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov claimed that the possibility of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons, has increased as military cooperation among the ‘ROK,’ the USA, and Japan has recently been strengthened.
Lavrov made the remarks at the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) held in Vladivostok, Russia, saying that “The trilateral axis of the United States, Japan and South Korea is increasingly expanding cooperation and exercises in the military sphere.”
He continued, saying, “Although President Donald Trump recently abruptly canceled or significantly scaled back plans for military exercises with these countries,” he noted, “the overall trend is nevertheless clear.”
Recently, the ‘ROK’ and the USA conducted the combined exercise ‘Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS)’ on a reduced scale at the direction of US President Donald Trump. However, the regular trilateral multidomain exercise ‘Freedom Edge’ involving the ‘ROK’, the USA, and Japan is planned to proceed as scheduled.
Lavrov said, “Nevertheless, the overarching trend is unambiguous: military interaction within the US–Tokyo–Seoul triangle is being reinforced, and Japan under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi was showing a strong interest in adding a nuclear element to military cooperation. This, too, creates threats and risks associated with the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.”
Lavrov also said that Russia is pursuing a policy of promoting exchanges with East Asian countries, and condemned the fact that “A closed bloc that is blatant and aggressive in character, seeking to oppose this open and straightforward course, is in confrontation with us.”
