Ten countries, EU condemn defense cooperation between North Korea, Russia
That’s according to a joint statement by the top diplomats from Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, the UK, US, and the EU, Ukrinform reports.
"Our governments stand in resolute opposition to these continued arms transfers, which Russia has used to strike Ukraine’s critical infrastructure, prolonging the suffering of the Ukrainian people. We are gravely concerned by the deepening DPRK-Russia cooperation in flagrant violation of multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions," the statement reads.
The signatories also called on Pyongyang to " take concrete steps towards abandoning all nuclear weapons, ballistic missiles and related programmes in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner."
"We urge the DPRK to respond to the numerous and genuine offers to return to diplomacy, the only path to an enduring peace on the Korean Peninsula," the statement emphasizes.
As reported, Ukraine's allies have long accused North Korea of directly supporting Russia's illegal war of aggression.
U.S. intelligence has officially confirmed the transfer of at least 3 million artillery rounds and dozens of ballistic missiles from North Korea to Russia. Fragments of North Korean munitions have already been found in several locations across Ukraine hit by Russian strikes.
