Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin shake hands during their meeting in Russia’s Amur region in September 2023. (Vladimir Smirnov, Sputnik pool photo via AFP/Getty Images/TNS)

President Joe Biden said Ukraine should strike North Korean troops if they enter the country to fight alongside Russia, as officials warned. soldiers are expected to approach the front line in the next few weeks.

He asked if you were worried. North Korean troops already inside Russia“I’m concerned about that, yes,” Biden said. A reporter later asked if Ukraine would retaliate, and Biden replied, “Yes, if they go into Ukraine.”

Pentagon spokesman Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said the United States does not currently have information to confirm some reports that North Korean troops are already in Ukraine.

USA believes North Korea deployed 10 thousand soldiersSeveral thousand of them are already heading toward Russia’s Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces are fighting Russians, and a “small number” are already there, Ryder said.

According to Ryder, “The remainder are training in the east, but at some point we fully expect them to move in that direction and be deployed in the infantry role.”

Ryder echoed recent comments by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin that Russia’s reception of untested troops from North Korea shows Moscow faces a “terrible situation” in terms of its manpower and ability to meet personnel requirements for its operations.

The arrival of North Korean troops was discussed at the White House on Tuesday by US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and Ukrainian Presidential Office Head Andriy Yermak, according to a US official who requested anonymity. private discussion.

Sullivan made clear that the United States is committed to helping Ukraine defend itself and will continue to increase security assistance to Ukraine, according to the official. Sullivan and Yermak also agreed to continue to consult closely with other partners on how to respond to developments.

Tony Capaccio and Hadriana Lowenkron contributed to this report.

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