This could be a turning point in the war in Ukraine. The entry of North Korean troops will have an impact “extremely significant” on the security of East Asia, the Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs said on Saturday during a visit to kyiv, where he promised to support Ukraine. According to kyiv, some 11,000 North Korean soldiers are already deployed in Russia and have started fighting against Ukrainian forces in the Kursk region where the latter have been on the offensive since August.
« This will not only worsen the situation in Ukraine, but will also have extremely significant implications for the security situation in East Asia “, said Takeshi Iwaya, regarding the alleged engagement of North Korean troops in the Russian border region of Kursk.
Before adding:
“We are very concerned by this development and strongly condemn it”he added during a visit to Ukraine.
The Japanese minister visited Bucha, a town near kyiv, where Russian forces are accused of committing atrocities against civilians early in the war. “Our position remains unchanged, that Japan will stand with Ukraine”he insisted.
kyiv is outraged by Scholz and Putin's exchange on Ukraine
« L'future of security architecture is being played out in Ukraine'
His Ukrainian counterpart Andriy Sybiga said the entry of North Korean troops into the Ukrainian conflict was “proof that the future of the security architecture, not only European, but also global, is being played out in Ukraine”. He described the visit of his Japanese counterpart as “important sign of solidarity, especially in such a difficult period”.
He also praised the links with Tokyo: “Although eight thousand kilometers separate us, our countries are very close in terms of values”. This deployment greatly worries Western countries which support Ukraine. The Kremlin has so far evaded questions about this presence of North Korean reinforcements.
War in Ukraine: Kremlin denies interview between Trump and Putin
But North Korea ratified a historic defense agreement with Russia on Monday, sealing their rapprochement, according to the official North Korean agency KCNA. Russian President Vladimir Putin also signed this mutual defense treaty, according to the Kremlin.
End of the war in 2025
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he wanted “ do everything » to obtain an end to the war in his country in 2025 by “diplomatic means”the recent victory of Donald Trump in the American presidential election having relaunched the debate on negotiations.
American presidential election: the difficult equation of the war in Ukraine
« We must do everything to ensure that this war ends next year. We must end it by diplomatic means “, he said in an interview with Ukrainian radio.
The debate on possible peace negotiations, long swept aside by Volodymyr Zelensky, has intensified in recent weeks against a backdrop of rapid Russian advances in the Donbass (east) and Western procrastination on the military aid to be provided to kyiv.
The Russian and Ukrainian positions nevertheless remain opposed: kyiv excludes the cession of territories occupied by the Russian army, while Moscow sets it as a condition.
(With AFP)
