Russian cooperation with North Korea under a bilateral defense pact signed last year could violate Moscow’s obligations to uphold nuclear nonproliferation norms, according to a new U.S. government report.

In an annual report on nonproliferation and arms control compliance released this month, the U.S. State Department identified the June 2024 agreement between North Korea and Russia — the Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership — as potentially troubling under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

The treaty, ratified by both sidesin November, includes pledges to deepen cooperation in fields including nuclear energy, artificial intelligence and space. But under the NPT, nuclear-armed