The European Union is deeply concerned about the information that the DPRK is sending its troops to participate in Russia's war against Ukraine.
This is stated in a statement by the head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, according to the website of the EU Delegation to Ukraine.
‘This would be a serious violation of international law, including the most fundamental principles of the UN Charter. Such a unilateral hostile act by the DPRK would have serious consequences for European and global peace and security. This development once again demonstrates how Russia is spreading instability and escalation in the region and around the world,’ the EU High Representative said.
The bloc also strongly condemned the deepening military cooperation and arms transfers between the DPRK and Russia, as they flagrantly violate numerous UN Security Council resolutions. The EU also called on North Korea to stop supporting Russia's illegal military actions.
According to Borrell, such cooperation between the two states shows that Russia is not ‘genuinely interested in a just, comprehensive and lasting peace’.
‘On the contrary, Russia continues to escalate and desperately seeks any support for its war, including from those who seriously undermine global peace and security,’ the High Representative stressed.
The EU also reacted to the ‘alarming change of position’ on the DPRK's denuclearisation expressed by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. ‘Russia is abandoning its key obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), in particular to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons. It also violates numerous UN Security Council resolutions adopted with its own support. In this way, Russia is neglecting its obligations as a permanent member of the Security Council and as a UN member state. In accordance with the NPT, the DPRK cannot and will never have the status of a nuclear-weapon state,’ Borrell stressed.