NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte has stated that with the latest available information, he can confirm that North Korean troops have been sent to Russia and are already involved in the Kursk Oblast.
Speaking at NATO headquarters in Brussels after a high-level briefing by a delegation from South Korea, Rutte called the North Korean deployment a “dangerous expansion” of Russia’s ongoing war against its neighbor.
“The deepening military cooperation between Russia and North Korea is a threat to both the Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic security. It undermines peace on the Korean peninsula and fuels the Russian war against Ukraine.
“NATO calls on Russia and (North Korea) to cease these actions immediately.”
Mark Rutte
According to Rutte, North Korea has supplied Russia with millions of rounds of ammunition and ballistic missiles that are helping fuel a major conflict in the heart of Europe and undermining global peace and security. “In exchange, [Russian President Vladimir] Putin is providing North Korea with military technology and other support to circumvent international sanctions,” he said.
Last week, South Korean intelligence reported that Pyongyang had sent 3,000 troops to Russia to support Russian forces in their war against Ukraine and was also trying to isolate the families of selected soldiers in a certain place to prevent information from spreading.
Ukrainian military intelligence also said that the first North Korean units had already been recorded in the Kursk border region, where Ukrainian troops have been operating since staging a major incursion in August.
The White House later confirmed reports that there are several thousand North Korean troops in Russia.
Rutte stated that the North Korean deployment represented “a significant escalation” of Pyongyang’s involvement in “Russia’s illegal war” in Ukraine and a breach of U.N. Security Council resolutions
Moreover, Rutte noted that the deployment of North Korean troops was a sign of “growing desperation” on the part of Putin.
“Over 600,000 Russian soldiers have been killed or wounded in Putin’s war and he is unable to sustain his assault on Ukraine without foreign support.
“This is because the Ukrainians are fighting back with courage, resilience, and ingenuity. NATO allies will continue to support a free and democratic Ukraine because Ukraine’s security is our security.”
Mark Rutte
He said that NATO was “actively consulting within the alliance, with Ukraine, and with our Indo-Pacific partners” on the developments.
Rutte added that he would speak later with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov in light of these developments.
According to Western officials, adding thousands of North Korean soldiers to Europe’s biggest conflict since World War II will pile more pressure on Ukraine’s weary and overstretched army, as well as stoking geopolitical tensions in the Korean Peninsula and the wider Indo-Pacific region, including Japan and Australia.
No Strong Response From Ukraine’s Allies
Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Andrii Sybiha said that Kyiv had been warning about the deployment for weeks, yet there was no strong response from allies.
“Now NATO Secretary General confirmed this. The bottom line: listen to Ukraine. The solution: lift restrictions on our long-range strikes against Russia now.”
Andrii Sybiha
Also, The Ukrainian President’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak said that sanctions alone would not be a sufficient response to North Korean involvement.
He added that Kyiv needs weapons and a clear plan to prevent North Korea’s expanded involvement. “The enemy understands strength. Our allies have this strength,” Yermak said on X.
The Kremlin had initially dismissed reports about a North Korean deployment as “fake news.”
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