NATO has no doubt North Korea providing significant military support to Russia - Stoltenberg

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stated this in an interview with Kyodo News, as seen by Ukrinform.

Asked about North Korea's role in the war in Ukraine, Stoltenberg said "there's no doubt" the Asian country is providing "significant military support" to Russia.

According to him, the Alliance does not rule out that in response Moscow may provide Pyongyang with technical assistance in weapons development programs or supply certain types of weapons.

While declining to disclose sensitive intelligence, he said it was "absolutely clear" that the 32-member alliance is "deeply concerned" about the possibility of Russia supporting North Korea's missile and nuclear programs in return for receiving ammunition and other weapons from Pyongyang.

He emphasized that against the background of China, North Korea, and Iran's support for Russia's brutal war of aggression against Ukraine, NATO's partnership with Japan is becoming very important, and in order to address with the increasingly interconnected security challenges of Europe and Asia, the Alliance eyes an expansion of joint exercises with Japan in various areas ranging from maritime to cyberspace.

Quoting Japan Prime Minister Kishida's oft-used phrase that "what happens in Ukraine today can happen in Asia tomorrow," he said, "It is in the interest of all of us to prevent President (Vladimir) Putin from winning in Ukraine."

As Ukrinform reported, during the NATO Washington Summit, the leaders of the allied countries agreed on a new aid package for Ukraine, which should allow it to win the fight against Russian aggression, deter and provide reliable protection against such aggression in the future.