Joint statement on North Korea’s deployment of troops to Russia

November 6, 2024

The text of the following statement was released by the Foreign Ministers of Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States and the High Representative of the European Union:

Begin Text:

We, the Foreign Ministers of Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States and the High Representative of the European Union express our grave concerns regarding the deployment of DPRK troops to Russia, potentially for the use on the battlefield against Ukraine.

Several thousands of DPRK troops have been deployed to Russia. The DPRK’s direct support for Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, besides showing Russia’s desperate efforts to compensate its losses, would mark a dangerous expansion of the conflict, with serious consequences for European and Indo-Pacific peace and security. It would be a further breach of international law, including the most fundamental principles of the UN Charter.

We condemn in the strongest possible terms the increasing military cooperation between the DPRK and Russia, including the DPRK’s export and Russia’s unlawful procurement of DPRK ballistic missiles in breach of multiple UN Security Council resolutions (UNSCRs), as well as Russia’s use of these missiles and munitions against Ukraine. DPRK soldiers receiving or providing any training or other assistance related to the use of ballistic missiles or arms is a direct violation of UN Security Council resolutions 1718, 1874 and 2270. We are also deeply concerned about the potential for any transfer of nuclear or ballistic missile-related technology from Russia to the DPRK in violation of the relevant UNSCRs. We urge the DPRK to stop providing assistance to Russia’s war of aggression.

We reaffirm our unwavering commitment to support Ukraine as it defends its freedom, sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. We are working with our international partners for a coordinated response to this new development.

End Text.

Source – U.S. State Department

The first battles with North Korean soldiers open a new page of instability in the World – Address by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy

5 November 2024 – 20:38

Dear Ukrainians!Today we did a lot of internal work, work on the points of the Internal Strengthening Plan for our state, our society. Today we discussed military proposals – the points concerning the front. Our strategy and tactics. We must direct all our state’s resources to ensure that Ukraine’s tasks are fulfilled. I held a long meeting. The Military Command, the Government. The Commander-in-Chief, the General Staff, the Ministry of Defense, along with the Prime Minister, the First Deputy Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister for Innovation and Technology, the Minister of Strategic Industries, the Security Service of Ukraine, the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine, and the Foreign Intelligence Service. This frontline point of the Plan plus our defense and industrial complex are truly fundamental things, and everything else in our state’s life depends on how this is defined. Therefore, a clear certainty about the front – the ways to achieve our goals – and a significant scale-up of Ukraine’s domestic defense and industrial complex, tailored to the existing tasks – are something for which every step of our state should and will be calculated.

Today, we also decided on a lot of issues related to our diplomacy. Together with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, we discussed the candidates for the vacant posts of Ukrainian Ambassadors in the respective countries, and we also discussed the results of our diplomats’ efforts. We are preparing replacements and appointments.

And one more thing.

I want to thank everyone in the world who reacted to the deployment of North Korean soldiers in Russia. And who reacted not only with words, but also by preparing appropriate actions to support our defense here in Ukraine. Terror, unfortunately, can spread like a virus when it does not meet sufficient counteraction. Now, our counteraction must be sufficient. Strong enough. The first battles with North Korean soldiers open a new page of instability in the world. Together with the world, we must do everything to make this Russian step to expand the war – to really escalate it – to make this step a failure. Both for them, and for North Korea. I thank all those who are helping!

I thank all those who are working for the benefit of our state and people!

Glory to Ukraine!

Source – Ukrainian President