The Washington Post reports:
Russian officials made a secret proposal to North Korea last fall aimed at resolving deadlocked negotiations with the Trump administration over its nuclear weapons program, said U.S. officials familiar with the discussions. In exchange for dismantling its nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles, Moscow offered the country a nuclear power plant.
The Russian offer, which intelligence officials became aware of in late 2018, marks a new attempt by Moscow to intervene in the high-stakes nuclear talks as it reasserts itself into a string of geopolitical flash points from the Middle East to South Asia to Latin America.
Its latest bid is expected to unsettle Chinese and U.S. officials wary of granting Moscow an economic foothold on the Korean Peninsula.
The nation’s senior-most intel officials are making clear many of Trump’s claims are not based on intelligence:
– ISIS is not defeated
– North Korea is not denuclearizing
– Russia still interfering in US elections
– Climate change is real & endangers US national security— Jim Sciutto (@jimsciutto) January 29, 2019
NEW: Russian officials made secret proposal to North Korea last fall aimed at resolving deadlocked negotiations w/ Trump admin: In exchange for dismantling nuclear weapons/ballistic missiles, Moscow offered nuclear power plant. https://t.co/uA0Uh54iZs via @John_Hudson @nakashimae
— Evan Rosenfeld (@Evan_Rosenfeld) January 29, 2019