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Dozens of countries, including Ukraine, the United Kingdom, and the United States, have condemned the purported transfers of ballistic missiles between North Korea and Russia, alleging a violation of United Nations sanctions.

European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and ministers from 47 countries, including Argentina, Australia, Guatemala, Japan, and South Korea, issued a joint statement denouncing these arms transfers as a direct assault on Ukraine’s sovereignty. They stated that the weapons were used against Ukraine on December 30 and January 2, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis and undermining global non-proliferation efforts.

The joint statement expressed deep concern about the security implications of this cooperation in Europe, the Korean Peninsula, the Indo-Pacific region, and globally. US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby revealed that Russia continued to deploy North Korean weapons in Ukraine, including an attack on Kharkiv. The US and its allies intend to address this issue with the UN Security Council.

The statement also highlighted that such arms procurement and supply between Pyongyang and Moscow contravene multiple UN Security Council resolutions dating back to 2006, which were enacted in response to North Korea’s nuclear weapons program. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on these allegations. Reports of Russia planning to purchase weapons from North Korea for its Ukraine invasion emerged in 2022, and speculation increased following a summit between the countries’ leaders, where they discussed satellite development and military cooperation.

Months after the leaders’ meeting, North Korea announced the successful launch of its first military spy satellite, with plans to launch more within the year. Kim Jong Un’s recent visit to Russian arms factories and his vow to enhance North Korea’s military and nuclear capabilities signal escalating tensions in the region.