North Korea / Russia – Pyongyang acknowledges the deployment of North Korean troops (2 May 2025)

North Korea and Russia acknowledged that North Korean soldiers are taking part in operations conducted as part of the Russian aggression in Ukraine, showing both countries’ contempt for international law.

Since October, we and our partners have strongly denounced the deployment of North Korean troops in Russia. It represents an escalation in North Korea’s massive military support for Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. This hostile act has direct consequences for European security and international security more generally. We strongly condemn it.

We call on North Korea to immediately end all forms of support for the Russian aggression in defiance, which is in breach of Security Council resolutions, and to comply with its international obligations. We are continuing to coordinate with our partners in this regard.