North Korea‘s aggressive rhetoric could push China and Russia into a fight to establish influence over the rogue nation.
Mr Fleitz said the countries have been in competition to influence North Korea for decades and Vladimir Putin could use China’s decision to impose harsh sanctions on Kim Jong-un’s hermit state as an opportunity to strengthen the relationship with Pyongyang.
The former analyst said: “We’ve seen since China actually began to increase pressure on North Korea that Russia is throwing North Korea a lifeline and this is a big problem.
“We can’t let North Korea have a way to get around the sanctions imposed. I don’t know if sanctions will work but Russia might be working against our interests right now by giving North Korea an out.”
North Korea ignored international condemnation to continue in its attempts to create an arsenal of deadly nuclear weapons, sparking fears of World War 3 and pushing US President Donald Trump to call in his Asian allies to limit the North Korean threat.
But Russia’s intervention could put at risk a well-crafted strategy based on convincing North Korea’s only close ally China to support the United States instead.
Speaking to Fox News, Mr Fleitz continued: “Russia sees an opportunity: if China’s pulling out of North Korea, Russia is going in!
“There’s been competition between the two states for influence on North Korea for decades.”
President Trump is expected to seek a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss Russia’s involvement in the North Korean crisis during his five-nation tour of Asia.
The US and Russia have tended to take opposing sides on the North Korea crisis, with the Russian President warning his US counterpart earlier this year to not take military action against Kim Jong-un’s corrupt regime.
Earlier this week Mr Trump made a speech to the South Korean National Assembly in which he said that it was necessary for the countries of the world to show strength against the rogue regime.
In his speech, he said it was necessary for “all responsible nations to isolate North Korea”.
Mr Trump had warned North Korea it will face disaster unless its despot leader abandons his nuclear ambitions.
The US President said: “The weapons that you are acquiring are not making you safer, they are putting your regime in grave danger.
“Every step you take down this dark path increases the peril you face.”
China currently props up Pyongyang’s economy, accounting for 90 per cent of all trade with the nation.
But the country announced it would enforce UN sanctions against North Korea, banning exports of some petroleum products as well as imports of textiles in an attempt to convince the isolated country to end its missile proliferation programme.