“We urge North Korea to immediately cease all assistance to Russia for its war of aggression against Ukraine, including by withdrawing its troops. » This was launched this Monday in a joint statement by the heads of diplomacy of Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and South Korea. , New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union.
Moscow and Pyongyang signed the official defense agreement at the beginning of December sealing their rapprochement marked, according to Washington, by the sending of more than 10,000 North Korean soldiers to help Russia fight Ukraine. kyiv said earlier Monday that “at least 30 soldiers” North Korean, fighting alongside the Russian army, were injured or killed on Saturday and Sunday in the Russian region of Kursk, partially occupied by kyiv's forces.
A return of aid also worrying
The press release from these ten countries and the EU also highlights “the export, by North Korea, of ballistic missiles, artillery shells and other military equipment to Russia for its use against Ukraine . »
Westerners fear that in exchange for this assistance, Moscow will help Pyongyang. The heads of diplomacy thus expressed Monday in this press release their “deep concern” regarding “any political, military or economic support that Russia could provide to North Korea’s illegal arms program, including weapons of mass destruction . »
At the beginning of December, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte affirmed that Russia provided “support” for North Korea’s nuclear and missile program.
France