Finland’s President Alexander Stubb spoke with Reuters today about North Korea’s deployment of troops to Ukraine in support of Russia, highlighting the desperation that Moscow has faced during its two-and-a-half-year invasion of Ukraine.
Officials from both Ukraine and South Korea have accused North Korea of sending troops to assist Russia in its military actions in Ukraine, estimating the number to be in the thousands.
Last week, South Korean intelligence reported that North Korea had dispatched 1,500 special forces soldiers to the Russian Far East for training, where they are adapting at local military bases before potentially being deployed to the front lines in Ukraine.
The Kremlin has declined to comment on whether North Korean soldiers are participating in the conflict in Ukraine.
During his visit to Berlin, Stubb stated, “We can only see how desperate Russia has become. It has very few allies around the world, relying on Iran for weapons and now North Korea sends soldiers. How much worse can it get?”
Stubb warned that the involvement of North Korean troops could escalate the conflict even further.
Finland joined NATO last year, marking a significant shift in its national policy following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The border between Finland and Russia stretches for 1,340 kilometers.
Stubb is scheduled to visit China from October 28 to 31, where he plans to tell Chinese President Xi Jinping that no peace agreement can be reached without Ukraine’s involvement.
He will urge China not to assist Russia in any form, particularly by supplying dual-use materials and goods that could be used as weapons.
