Russia wonders why the West can support Kiev, but North Korea cannot support Moscow

Russia’s representative to the United Nations on Wednesday asked questions about the attitude of Western countries, arguing why allies such as North Korea should not assist Moscow in its conflict with Ukraine if the West claims the right to support Kiev.

During a Security Council meeting, Russia’s Vassily Nebenzia faced intense criticism from the United States, the United Kingdom, South Korea, Ukraine and other countries. These countries accused Russia of violating UN resolutions and the fundamental principles of the UN Charter by involving North Korean troops (DPRK) in supporting Moscow.

South Korea’s UN Ambassador Joonkook Hwang said: “Supporting an act of aggression, which is in complete violation of the principles of the UN Charter, is illegal. Any activities related to the DPRK’s deployment of troops to Russia are in clear violations of multiple UN Security Council resolutions.”

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said about 10,000 North Korean troops were already stationed in eastern Russia and could soon be deployed in combat operations in Russia’s Kursk region, near the Ukrainian border.

Nebenzia defended Russian cooperation with North Korea, arguing that it does not violate international law. Although Russia has not refuted the deployment of North Korean soldiers, which ties into the conflict in Ukraine that has been ongoing since February 2022, he wondered: “Even if everything said by our Western colleagues about cooperation between Russia and North Korea is said to be true, why is it because the United States and allies are trying to impose the flawed logic on everyone that they have the right to help the Zelensky regime… and that Russian allies have no right to do anything to do something similar?

Ukraine’s UN Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya said: “None of the countries providing aid to Ukraine are under Security Council sanctions,” adding that obtaining support from a fully sanctioned North Korea would be a “brazen violation of the UN Charter”.

He continued: “Sending North Korean troops to support Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine is a blatant violation of international law.”

North Korea’s UN Ambassador Song Kim said: “If Russia’s sovereignty and security interests are exposed and threatened by continued dangerous attempts by the United States and the West, and if it is judged that we must respond with something , we will do that. make a necessary decision.”

Since 2006, North Korea has been under UN Security Council sanctions, which have been tightened over the years to discourage the pursuit of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles. While North Korea has not confirmed it will send troops to Russia, it maintains that such a decision would be in line with international norms.

(With input from agencies)