The US Department of Defense is concerned about the deepening of relations between the DPRK and Russia, which, together with Iran, are fueling Russia's actions on the battlefield in Ukraine. This was stated by Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh during a briefing on May 1, UNN reports.
We are concerned - we're certainly concerned about the deepening relationship that the DPRK and Russia have, that - together with Iran, that that is fueling Russia on the battlefield in Ukraine as they continue to wage this illegal war and kill many innocent Ukrainian civilians,
"So, in terms of what we're doing as the United States, we continue to monitor that. The Department of Defense, you've certainly seen us strengthen our relationship with Iraq within the region. We continue to arm Ukraine with the weapons that it needs on the battlefield. And then in the interagency space, as you saw, the Treasury Department announces new sanctions against Russia, North Korea, and other countries. So, we certainly take this seriously and continue to monitor it as a department," the Pentagon spokeswoman said.
Asked if there was any information about Russia recruiting North Korean mercenaries for the war against Ukraine, Singh said she "has no information about that." "I haven't seen any reports about this, but at the same time, of course, we know that North Korea is ready to support Russia in its war against Ukraine, and it is one of the countries that supports Russia along with Iran. More than 50 countries and partners support Ukraine in its struggle, and this is, you know, what you saw last week in the Contact Group on Ukraine's Defense. The Minister announced additional commitments there," she said.
"And so while we see the DPRK supporting Russia's efforts, the United States is always proud to stand with Ukraine," the Pentagon spokeswoman said.