World ‘merely watching’ as North Korea threat grows: Zelensky

Zelensky stated that if Ukraine had permission to use Western long-range weapons on Russian territory, it could preemptively target “every camp” in Russia where North Korean troops are gathering.

The president’s warning follows reports that 8,000 North Korean troops are amassed in Kursk Oblast and preparing to enter combat alongside Russian forces in the coming days.

“North Korea has tested a new ballistic missile just yesterday, achieving record time and sufficient altitude,” Zelensky wrote on X.

“Yet the world is just watching, observing as this threat grows,” he added.

Pyongyang’s cooperation with Moscow has enabled improvements in North Korean military technology that are “already evident”, he continued. With North Korean troops joining Russia on the battlefield, Pyongyang will also have the opportunity to learn the tactics of “modern warfare”.

“The first thousands of North Korean soldiers are already near Ukraine’s borders, and Ukrainians will be forced to defend themselves against them,” Zelensky said.

Ukraine is able to see “every site on Russian territory where these North Korean soldiers are accumulating—every camp”, Zelensky added. With permission to launch Western long-range weapons at these targets, Ukraine could potentially prevent the deployment of North Korean troops on the front lines.

“Instead of providing the crucial long-range capabilities, however, America is watching, Britain is watching, and Germany is watching.”

Zelensky also called on China to exert its influence over Russia and North Korea, urging Beijing to prove its commitment to ending the war.

While there have been growing reports that the UK may amend its position on Ukraine’s of its Storm Shadow missiles for long-range strikes, the US and Germany continue to insist that such a move would lead to unnecessary escalation with Russia.

North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui has promised that Pyongyang would stand with Russia “until the day of victory” during talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow on Friday.

“Our traditional, historically friendly relations, which have traveled the tested path of history, today … are rising to a new level of relations of invincible military comradeship,” Choe told Lavrov.

Choe went on to praise Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “wise leadership” and stated that North Korea is convinced Russia will “achieve a great victory in their sacred struggle to protect the sovereign rights and security interests of their state”.

“And we also assure that until the day of victory we will firmly stand alongside our Russian comrades,” she added.