U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned that the deployment of North Korean troops alongside Russian forces fighting on the Ukrainian border demands a “firm response.”
Blinken stated that he had discussed with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte the fact that North Korean forces are “involved in battle, and now, in combat, and this requires and will have a firm response.”
Blinken met with Rutte in Brussels, while the outgoing administration of President Joe Biden is working to solidify support for Ukraine before Republican Donald Trump takes office.
Following his victory in the presidential elections, Trump has pledged to stop the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East.
During a media address, Rutte stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin must not be allowed to succeed in Ukraine.
Russia began its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Recently, intelligence from the U.S., South Korea, NATO, and Ukraine confirmed that North Korea has deployed troops to Kursk, Russia, to assist Moscow in the war against its neighboring state.
The U.S. has stated that around 10,000 North Korean troops are located in Kursk, which borders Ukraine, but Ukraine claims the number has reached up to 12,000.
Additionally, Russia has moved several resources to the Kursk border region in response to the offensive Ukraine launched in August, as Russian forces have faced difficulties repelling Ukrainian troops.
