NATO considers boosting support for Ukraine as North Korea poised to enter war

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has confirmed the presence of North Korean troops in Russia and they could enter the war against Ukraine. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte made the announcement after a North Atlantic Council meeting on Oct. 28.

“Today, I can confirm that North Korean troops have been sent to Russia, and North Korean military units have been deployed to the Kursk region,” Rutte said, referring to the bordering region that Ukraine invaded in August.

South Korea has informed NATO and its Indo-Pacific partners – Australia, Japan, and New Zealand – about North Korea’s increasing participation in Russia’s war against Ukraine.

“The deployment of North Korean troops represents: one, a significant escalation in the DPRK’s ongoing involvement in Russia’s illegal war. Two, yet another breach of UN Security Council resolutions. And three, a dangerous expansion of Russia’s war,” Rutte added.

During the meeting, NATO discussed the necessity of enhancing military support for Ukraine. 

“We are actively consulting within the Alliance, with Ukraine, and with our Indo-Pacific partners on these developments, and we continue to monitor the situation closely,” Rutte said.

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda emphasized that NATO member states must respond to North Korea’s involvement in the war by providing Ukraine with “all it needs” for victory. This includes long-range missiles, permission to strike military targets in Russia, and increased military assistance to Kyiv. 

“Hesitation leads to escalation, not the other way around,” Nausėda said.

Meanwhile, a South Korean delegation is set to visit Ukraine this week to “share information on North Korea’s troop dispatch to Russia and discuss cooperation measures,” announced South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, as reported by Yonhap news agency in South Korea.