UKrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said North Korea is preparing to send 10,000 troops to help Russia’s war in Ukraine, a sign of deepening military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang.
“We know about 10,000 North Korean soldiers, who are preparing to send to fight us,” Zelensky told reporters in Brussels on Thursday. Ukrainian officials have been saying for weeks that North Korean troops are being deployed in Ukraine, without providing evidence.
US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell said earlier this week that they saw signs of increased support from North Korea to Russia, both artillery shells and missiles, although reports of personnel being sent were still being processed.
But speaking to Zelenskiy at another press conference, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said there is no evidence that North Korean troops are involved in the war.
Russia last week dismissed reports of a North Korean military deployment as “yet another lie.”
The deployment, if confirmed, would mark a major step forward in Pyongyang’s cooperation with Moscow after Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un agreed in June to provide immediate military assistance if either was attacked. North Korea maintains approximately 1.28 million soldiers, according to a South Korean defense white paper.
Washington and Seoul have accused Kim of sending artillery shells and missiles to Russia to help the Kremlin, which Pyongyang and Moscow deny.
In return for the weapons, Russia sent aid that bolstered North Korea’s economy and helped Kim advance his weapons programs, Seoul and Washington said.
Zelensky’s comments come as Western governments struggle to maintain public support for Kyiv’s two-and-a-half year war with Russia. Caution has put pressure on Zelenskiy to start contributing to the end of the conflict.
Read more: Inside Ukraine’s Efforts to Defeat Donald Trump
Zelensky presented his “victory plan” to lawmakers in Kyiv on Wednesday, outlining his plans to end the Russian invasion. He emphasized his refusal to accept concessions on local interests or enter into a process that would result in serious disputes.
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