As of late June, North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-Un and Russian President Vladimir V. Putin have revived a peace of history dating back to the Cold War. The similarity between the 1961 Treaty of Friendship, Co-operation, and Mutual Assistance between the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and their current partnership is uncanny.
Putin and Kim Jung Un signed a mutual defense treaty during a summit in Pyongyang in June, with Putin mentioning that this would be a “breakthrough” in solidifying bilateral relations. While aspects of the arrangement remain unknown, both states will certainly use all security measures available to assist each other in the event of a war, as mentioned in Article 4 of the agreement. Such an alliance strengthens the former Eastern Bloc countries, leaving Western states ambivalent about addressing North Korea’s current involvement in Ukraine.
Ukraine, through militaristic success and its ability to amass significant aid from foreign allies, has made great strides in reclaiming its land following Russia's invasion. However, Russia occupies 18% of the country, with particular strongholds in southeastern and eastern cities.
This ongoing war has essentially been a war of attrition, as Russia has lost over 600,000 troops since the war began. The nation's military is not lacking enormity and is expected to increase the size of its armed forces to 2.38 million people. Defense spending is expected to rise to $145 billion, doubling the country’s GDP for the military.
Despite strengthening its defensive and offensive capabilities, Russia’s strategy might have ironically blinded them to Ukraine’s strategic capabilities in this war. Consequently, Ukraine’s bold incursion into the Kursk region on August 6th is the first time Russian territory has been entered by foreign troops since World War II. The attack was intended to shift the Russian forces’ attention from fighting in eastern and southern Ukraine.
The regional military of Kursk Oblast, a constituent region of Russia, had over 200 artillery pieces, including rocket launchers, mortars, and tube artillery. While Ukraine was able to limit Russian firepower, the occupation of Kursk by Ukrainian forces could have intended to act as leverage in negotiations with Moscow. That bridge may have burned, however, with North Korea’s current involvement.
The Pentagon reported last week that nearly 10,000 North Korean soldiers have been deployed in Kursk Oblast. The soldiers are in Russian uniforms and given equipment for warfare.
Following Donald Trump’s recent re-election, the United States has caught wind of the first clashes between Ukraine and North Korean troops. Rustem Umerov, Ukraine's defense minister, confirmed North Korea's involvement in the conflict when there appeared to be North Korean troops under fire in Kursk Oblast.
President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed frustration to the press in response to the lack of support he's received in recent months from European allies and the U.S., stating, “America is watching, Britain is watching, Germany is watching. Everyone is just waiting for the North Korean military to start targeting Ukrainians.”
With a new political administration on the horizon in the U.S., a new approach to the situation is certain. On Friday, November 8, President Trump and businessman Elon Musk facilitated conversation with President Zelensky, although the dialogue between the three is still unknown.
During his campaign, President Trump has repeatedly promised to end the war between Russia, Ukraine, and now, North Korea. With the situation escalating, only time will tell if these promises will lead to a mutually achieved peace that sees Ukraine reclaiming occupied lands or if they lead to a placating of Putin, where Trump withdraws all Ukrainian support, allowing Russia to seize even more territory.