Putin meets N Korea foreign minister as Kyiv warns of troop deployment

“We call on Europe to realise that North Korean troops are now waging an aggressive war in Europe against a sovereign European state. This proves once again that while the West is afraid and hesitates, Russia is acting and going for escalation,” Sybiha said.

Baerbock expressed “rock-solid” support for Ukraine. “Right here, right now. We stand firmly by your side as long as you need us,” she said.

Baerbock also announced that Germany would give Ukraine 200 million euros ($218 million) in emergency aid for its third winter at war.

At the United Nations Security Council, the United States accused Russia and China of “shamelessly protecting” and emboldening North Korea to further violate UN sanctions.

In Seoul, South Korea and the European Union jointly condemned North Korea’s “unlawful arms transfers to the Russian Federation for its use in attacking Ukraine” and demanded that it withdraw its troops.

Russia visit

North Korea’s Choe has been in Russia for almost a week, having arrived in the far eastern port of Vladivostok last Tuesday on her second trip to the country in six weeks.

Last Friday, Choe told Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov that their countries enjoyed relations of “invincible military comradeship” and that North Korea would stand alongside Russia “until the day of victory” in Ukraine.

The Kremlin had said last week that there were no plans for Putin to meet Choe.

The US and South Korea say North Korea has shipped ballistic missiles, anti-tank rockets and millions of rounds of ammunition for Russia to use against Ukraine. Moscow and Pyongyang have denied weapons transfers.