The United States of America calls on North Korea to immediately stop its military support for the Russian Federation, which is waging an aggressive war against Ukraine. This position was articulated by Washington following a statement from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un regarding “unconditional support” for Moscow.
This is reported by Kyiv24
US Demands and Recent Meetings between North Korea and Russia
US State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott stated that North Korea’s military presence in Russia and any mutual assistance in military matters must be halted.
“North Korea’s military deployment in Russia and any support that the Russian Federation provides to North Korea in response must cease.”
Earlier this week, Kim Jong Un met with Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu in Pyongyang, who previously headed the Russian Ministry of Defense. According to official North Korean media, during the talks, Kim Jong Un reaffirmed the North Korean government’s intentions to continue to “unconditionally support” Russia’s position and its foreign policy course.
Overview of Military Cooperation between North Korea and Russia
The Russian Security Council reported that the parties engaged in a detailed dialogue on a wide range of international issues, including the situation surrounding Ukraine, as well as the prospects for developing bilateral relations under the signed Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement.
Additionally, Kim and Shoigu discussed honoring the memory of Korean soldiers who died during combat operations in Russia’s Kursk region against Ukrainian forces.
According to a report by a multilateral sanctions monitoring group released at the end of May, since September 2023, North Korea has transferred over 20,000 containers of ammunition to Russia. This has significantly contributed to Russian strikes on Ukraine, particularly against critical infrastructure targets.
Despite Moscow and Pyongyang insisting on the absence of arms supplies, recent confirmations have emerged regarding the participation of North Korean military personnel in combat operations on the side of Russia in the Kursk region. According to South Korean intelligence, at least 600 North Korean servicemen sent to support Russia have died. Total losses among the North Korean contingent are estimated at around 4,700 individuals, accounting for both sanitary and irrecoverable losses.
As of June 2025, according to estimates from South Korean authorities, Pyongyang has sent approximately 15,000 of its citizens to the war against Ukraine.