Anthony Blinken. Photo: Reuters
On Wednesday, during a visit to NATO in Brussels, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said that a “decisive response” was needed to the direct involvement of the North Korean military in the war in Ukraine. According to France24, Blinken stressed the dangerous escalation of the situation.
“North Korean troops are now literally engaged in combat, and this new fact requires a decisive response, which will certainly come,” Blinken told reporters at a joint press conference with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
It is noted that the United States has confirmed information about the presence of North Korean troops in the Kursk region of Russia, where they are taking part in combat operations against Ukrainian forces.
Blinken also expressed concern about the “globalisation” of the conflict in Ukraine and called for closer cooperation between the Allies: “One of the important areas of NATO’s work in recent years has been to strengthen relations with partners in the Indo-Pacific, and we will be actively developing this cooperation in the coming weeks and months.”
The change of administration in the United States has also heightened concerns among European allies. Joe Biden’s administration will end its term on 20 January, when Republican President-elect Donald Trump takes office. European partners fear a possible reduction in US military support for Ukraine and a reduced US presence on the continent due to the course Trump may take.
