Kyiv should strike North Korean troops if they fight in Ukraine, says Biden
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The US believes North Korea has deployed 10,000 troops, several thousand of whom are already moving towards Russia’s Kursk region.
PHOTO: AFP
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WASHINGTON – Ukraine should strike North Korean troops if they enter the country to fight alongside Russia, US President Joe Biden said, as officials warned that the soldiers are expected to move closer to the front line over the next few weeks.
Asked if he was concerned about North Korean troops already inside Russia, Mr Biden replied: “I am concerned about it, yes.” A reporter then asked if Ukraine should strike back, and he responded: “If they go into Ukraine, yes.”
Major-General Pat Ryder, a Pentagon spokesman, said the US currently does not have information to corroborate some news reports that North Korean troops are already in Ukraine.
“The rest are training out in the east but we fully expect them to move in that direction at some point” and to be deployed in an infantry role, he added.
He echoed recent comments by US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin that Russia’s welcoming of the untested troops from North Korea indicates that Moscow is facing a “dire situation” with its manpower and its ability to sustain personnel requirements for its operations.
The arrival of the North Korean troops was discussed by US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and Mr Andriy Yermak, head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, at the White House on Oct 29, according to a US official who asked not to be identified confirming the private discussion.
Mr Sullivan made it clear that the US is committed to helping Ukraine defend itself and will continue to provide security assistance to Ukraine, according to the official.
Mr Sullivan and Mr Yermak also agreed to continue to consult closely on how to respond alongside other partners to the developments. BLOOMBERG
