North Korea Leader Kim Jong Un Vows 'Invariable Support' to Russia Amid War with Ukraine

Seoul: Amid Ukrainian President Vlodomir Zelenskyy's conditional agreement to ceasefire in a bid to end the ongoing Russia-Ukraine War, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has met with Russia's Defence Chief and extended ‘invariable support’ to Russia amid its war with Ukraine. 

Kim Jong Un Vows ‘Invariable Support’ to Russia Amid War with Ukraine

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed his country will “invariably support” Russia's war in Ukraine as he met Russia's defence chief, the North's state media reported Saturday. A Russia military delegation led by Defence Minister Andrei Belousov arrived in North Korea on Friday, amid growing international concern about the two countries' expanding cooperation after North Korea sent thousands of troops to Russia last month.

The official Korean Central News Agency said that Kim and Belousov reached “a satisfactory consensus” on boosting strategic partnership and defending each country's sovereignty, security interests and international justice in the face of the rapidly-changing international security environments in a Friday meeting.

Kim said that North Korea “will invariably support the policy of the Russian Federation to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity from the imperialists' moves for hegemony,” KCNA said. North Korea has supported Russia's invasion of Ukraine, calling it a defensive response to what both Moscow and Pyongyang call NATO's “reckless” eastward advance and US-led moves to stamp out Russia's position as a powerful state.

Russia-North Korea Relations

Kim slammed a US decision earlier in November to let Ukraine strike targets inside Russia with US-supplied longer-range missiles as a direct intervention in the conflict. He called recent Russian strikes on Ukraine “a timely and effective measure" demonstrate Russia's resolve, KCNA said.

According to US, Ukrainian and South Korean assessments, North Korea has sent more than 10,000 troops to Russia and some of them have already begun engaging in combat on the frontlines. US, South Korean and others say North Korea has also shipped artillery systems, missiles and other conventional weapons to replenish Russia's exhausted weapons inventory.

Both North Korea and Russia haven't formally confirmed the North Korean troops' movements, and have steadfastly denied reports of weapons shipments. South Korea, the US and their partners are concerned that Russia could give North Korea advanced weapons technology in return, including help to build more powerful nuclear missiles.

In June, Kim and Putin signed a treaty requiring both countries to provide immediate military assistance if either is attacked. It's considered the two countries' biggest defense deal since the end of the Cold War. 

Zelenskyy Agrees On Ceasefire In Return for NATO Cover

Hinting at a potential ceasefire for the ongoing Russia-Ukraine War, Zelenskyy, in an interview sought NATO cover, ‘to stop the war’. In an interview with Sky News on Friday, Zelenskyy was asked about the possibility of NATO providing security assurances for the territory Kyiv still controls. He responded, “If we want to stop the hot stage of war, we should take under NATO umbrella the territory of Ukraine that we have under our control. That’s what we need to do fast.”

Zelenskyy highlighted that this proposal could help Ukraine focus on ending the bloodshed in the war-torn nation. Under the plan, the remaining territories occupied by Russia would be addressed diplomatically at a later stage. He mentioned that this could pave the way for a diplomatic solution to recover the rest of Ukraine's occupied regions. “Then Ukraine can get back the other part of its territory diplomatically,” Zelenskyy added.

(Inputs from AP)