NATO Declines to Back Ukraine's Assertions Regarding North Korea
According to Secretary General Mark Rutte, reports indicating that North Korean soldiers are involved in the Ukraine conflict remain unverified. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
Kiev has recently asserted that Pyongyang has been sending soldiers to assist Russian forces in their fight against Ukraine.
NATO's Secretary General, Mark Rutte, stated that the alliance cannot verify these claims regarding North Korean military personnel allegedly combatting alongside Russian troops in the Ukraine conflict. When prompted by the National News Agency of Ukraine during a press briefing on Wednesday, Rutte responded: “I cannot confirm these reports, but obviously they are concerning.”
He further noted, “What we do know is that North Korea is helping to fuel Russia’s war effort against Ukraine and we strongly condemn the, let’s say, deepening military cooperation between Russia and North Korea,” reiterating that “at this stage cannot confirm the reports you were mentioning.”
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky informed the parliament on Wednesday that the country's intelligence services had verified North Korea's supply of both weapons and personnel to Russia, urging Ukraine’s allies to impose new sanctions on Pyongyang.
The potential involvement of North Korean soldiers in the conflict on Russia's behalf was also raised by South Korea. Last week, Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun stated during a parliamentary session that Pyongyang might dispatch forces to support Russia after signing a mutual security treaty with Moscow, noting that such a deployment is “highly likely.” He also suggested that some North Korean soldiers could have already died in the Ukraine conflict.
In response, the Kremlin dismissed the allegations, asserting, “this looks like another hoax.” Russian President Vladimir Putin had previously characterized reports about North Korean volunteers fighting against Ukraine as “complete nonsense.”
In June, Russia and North Korea formalized a Comprehensive Partnership Treaty during Putin’s visit to Pyongyang, which replaces several prior agreements between the nations. This treaty includes a clause pertaining to mutual military assistance, albeit only in the event of an attack on one of the parties. On Monday, Putin formally requested the State Duma to ratify the treaty.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has emphasized that the new agreement represents an “exclusively defensive position,” suggesting that only those who intend aggression against Russia or North Korea could object to it.
Mathilde Moreau for TROIB News
NATO's Secretary General, Mark Rutte, stated that the alliance cannot verify these claims regarding North Korean military personnel allegedly combatting alongside Russian troops in the Ukraine conflict. When prompted by the National News Agency of Ukraine during a press briefing on Wednesday, Rutte responded: “I cannot confirm these reports, but obviously they are concerning.”
He further noted, “What we do know is that North Korea is helping to fuel Russia’s war effort against Ukraine and we strongly condemn the, let’s say, deepening military cooperation between Russia and North Korea,” reiterating that “at this stage cannot confirm the reports you were mentioning.”
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky informed the parliament on Wednesday that the country's intelligence services had verified North Korea's supply of both weapons and personnel to Russia, urging Ukraine’s allies to impose new sanctions on Pyongyang.
The potential involvement of North Korean soldiers in the conflict on Russia's behalf was also raised by South Korea. Last week, Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun stated during a parliamentary session that Pyongyang might dispatch forces to support Russia after signing a mutual security treaty with Moscow, noting that such a deployment is “highly likely.” He also suggested that some North Korean soldiers could have already died in the Ukraine conflict.
In response, the Kremlin dismissed the allegations, asserting, “this looks like another hoax.” Russian President Vladimir Putin had previously characterized reports about North Korean volunteers fighting against Ukraine as “complete nonsense.”
In June, Russia and North Korea formalized a Comprehensive Partnership Treaty during Putin’s visit to Pyongyang, which replaces several prior agreements between the nations. This treaty includes a clause pertaining to mutual military assistance, albeit only in the event of an attack on one of the parties. On Monday, Putin formally requested the State Duma to ratify the treaty.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has emphasized that the new agreement represents an “exclusively defensive position,” suggesting that only those who intend aggression against Russia or North Korea could object to it.
Mathilde Moreau for TROIB News
