Zelensky said North Korea had sent troops to support the Russian military

Issued on: 10/13/2024 – 9:07 p.m

2 mins

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday accused North Korea of ​​sending troops to the Russian army and again called for more support to prevent “a larger war.”

Zelensky's comments came days after he visited several European capitals to advocate for more military and financial aid in the war against invading Russian forces.

“We see an increasing alliance between Russia and regimes like those in North Korea,” Zelensky said in his evening speech.

“It’s no longer just about arms transfers. This is actually about the transfer of people from North Korea to the occupying forces.

“Of course, in such circumstances, our relationships with our partners need to be strengthened. The front needs more support,” he said.

“When we talk about greater long-range capability for Ukraine and more critical supplies for our armed forces, it is not just about a list of military equipment,” Zelensky said in his address on Sunday.

“It's about increasing the pressure on the attacker, who will be stronger for Russia than it can withstand. And it’s about preventing a bigger war.”

Zelensky last week undertook a whirlwind tour of European capitals including Berlin, London, Paris and Rome to appeal for sustained military aid as Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues into its third year.

Read moreZelenskyj presents the “victory plan” for Ukraine to Macron in Paris

Biden is expected in Europe

These trips were organized at the last minute after US President Joe Biden postponed a trip to Germany originally planned last week to oversee preparations to deal with Hurricane Milton, which was approaching Florida.

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Biden's visit was expected to include attending a meeting of more than 50 Ukraine allies to discuss further support for Kyiv, where Zelensky had been expected to attend.

A German government source said on Sunday that Biden is now due to visit for a day next Friday, with Ukraine and the Middle East expected to be high on the agenda.

Early Sunday, Russia said it had captured another eastern Ukrainian village as it approached the key city of Pokrovsk, where its forces have been advancing for weeks.

Russian troops have been moving westward in the Donetsk region for months, with Kiev saying over the weekend that the situation was “very difficult.”

The Moscow Defense Ministry said its forces had now taken Mykhailivka, just outside the city of Selydove and south of Pokrovsk.

Selydove was badly damaged by months of shelling and most of the population fled.

Russia is trying to take Pokrovsk, a mining town that was home to about 60,000 people before Moscow's offensive. It has claimed eastern Ukrainian villages for months.

(AFP)