The possible deployment of North Korean soldiers to fight with invading Russian forces in Ukraine "demonstrates a certain weakness of Russia," says Gerry Connolly, a U.S. congressman (Democrat-Virginia) and acting president of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.
"Do you need North Korean troops to be deployed in Europe for combat operations in Ukraine? Really? And why does Russia need it? Maybe because, to be honest, the Russian potential is exhausted?" Connelly said to RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service in an interview on October 19.
"According to estimates, Russian losses amount to 600,000 killed, wounded, and missing. These numbers are already approaching World War II levels in the initial stages of Operation Barbarossa after 1941," he added, referring to the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union in World War II.
U.S. Congressman Gerry Connolly speaks to RFE/RL in Prague on October 19.
Connelly's comments come after South Korea's intelligence agency said on October 18 that North Korea has shipped 1,500 special forces troops to Russia's Far East for training and acclimatizing at local military bases and will likely be deployed for combat in the war in Ukraine.
Ukrainian officials have released video purporting to show dozens of North Korean recruits lining up to collect Russian military fatigues. The head of Ukrainian military intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov, has also claimed in local media that about 11,000 North Korean infantrymen were currently training in eastern Russia.
The presence of North Korean soldiers in Ukraine, if true, would be further proof of intensified military ties between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Last summer, they signed a strategic partnership treaty that commits both countries to providing military assistance. North Korean weapons have already been used in the Ukraine war.
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U.S. Undersecretary Of State: Ukraine Support Remains 'Top Priority'
Speaking from RFE/RL's headquarters in Prague, Connolly also spoke about NATO membership for Ukraine. This week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy pitched his "victory plan" to the EU and NATO, which includes Ukraine being given immediate membership. G7 defense ministers, meeting in Italy on October 19, backed Ukraine's "irreversible" path to NATO membership but avoided any timeline.
Connolly suggested Ukraine should get NATO membership once Russia's war is finished.
"Well, there's a war going on. I think we have to resolve this, we have to restore Ukraine's sovereignty over its territories, and then make sure that the path to NATO is open," Connolly told RFE/RL.
SEE ALSO: Ukraine Live Briefing: Moscow Denies Using ICBM"I understand a certain haste and impatience on the part of Ukrainians [who say] 'I would have liked to become a member of NATO yesterday.' But we have, of course, a difficult and tragic situation on the territory of Ukraine. And this is the presence of Russian troops there and the Russian occupation. This should be resolved," Connolly added.
Connolly also commented on Zelenskiy's proposal, also included in his victory plan, to eventually replace U.S. troops with battle-hardened Ukrainian troops at outposts throughout Europe.
The United States has more than 100,000 troops stationed across Europe on a permanent and rotational basis, largely concentrated in Germany. Washington deployed more than 20,000 forces to the continent in response to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
"This is a generous offer from President Zelenskiy, whom I have met many times, including in a small circle at various conferences and events. But I think that this is an inappropriate proposal now. It looks like a political pass for Donald Trump in case he wins the election. And for those of us who are fighting for Ukraine in the U.S. Congress, we don't need to hear that. The U.S. should be in Europe," Connolly explained.
A potential Trump victory in next month's presidential election could threaten future aid to Ukraine, analysts have said. The former president declined last month to say whether he wants Ukraine to win the war, and has described Zelenskiy as a "salesman" who "should never have let that war start."
Trump has long avoided criticism of Russia's invasion and questioned the value of the NATO alliance. His political allies have expressed skepticism about the large U.S. military aid packages provided to Ukraine.