Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused North Korea of preparing to send thousands of soldiers to join the Russian invasion of his country, and is calling for a “strong response” from the international community. “In fact, another state is joining the war against Ukraine,” Zelenskyy commented during his traditional daily video address on Sunday evening.
Ukraine’s allegations have been backed up by South Korea, leading to calls for the immediate withdrawal of North Korean troops from Russia. Officials in Seoul summoned the Russian ambassador on Monday to condemn intensifying military cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow. Meanwhile, Britain’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Barbara Woodward, informed the UN Security Council that it was “highly likely” North Korea had agreed to send combat troops in support of Russia’s war against Ukraine.
If confirmed, North Korea’s decision to provide Russian President Vladimir Putin with soldiers would further deepen the Hermit Kingdom’s involvement in an invasion that is already the largest European war since World War II. The United States first accused North Korea of supplying Russia with artillery shells in September 2022. Putin and his North Korean counterpart, Kim Jong-un, have since gone on to hold a number of high-profile meetings. In June 2024, the two dictators signed a mutual defense pact, underlining the strengthening security cooperation between their nations.
Voice of Ukraine 