Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Thursday that Russia is preparing to deploy 10,000 North Korean soldiers to fight against Ukraine, citing intelligence reports. This marks the first time Zelensky provided a specific number regarding North Korean troops, although he has previously accused the regime of sending forces to support Russia.
Speaking to reporters in Brussels after meetings with EU leaders, Zelensky noted that some North Korean soldiers are already present in “occupied Ukrainian territory” alongside Russian forces. “We know about 10,000 soldiers of North Korea that they are preparing to send to fight against us,” he stated.
Zelensky was in Brussels to participate in both an EU leaders’ summit and NATO defense ministers’ meetings, seeking increased support for his “victory plan” aimed at ending the ongoing war with Russia. He emphasized that Ukraine must present a strong front before engaging in any peace talks, asserting, “Ukraine is ready for real diplomacy, but for it, we must be strong.” He further remarked, “Russia will resort to diplomacy only when it sees that it cannot achieve anything by force.”
The war, which has been ongoing for over two and a half years, has resulted in Ukraine gradually losing territory in the eastern Donbas region. Zelensky’s calls for bolstered Western support come as Ukraine faces mounting pressure to formulate an exit strategy.
During discussions with EU leaders, Zelensky reported that many member states expressed their “full support” for Ukraine. European Parliament President Roberta Metsola affirmed the bloc’s commitment, stating it “unequivocally reaffirms” its backing for Ukraine and views Zelensky’s victory plan as “the way forward.” Recently, the EU approved a plan to provide Ukraine with up to €35 billion backed by frozen Russian assets as part of a broader $50 billion initiative agreed upon by G7 powers in June.
However, dissent emerged from Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who criticized Zelensky’s roadmap as “beyond terrifying.” Orban urged France and Germany to initiate negotiations with Russia on behalf of the European Union.
Zelensky’s visit also included participation in NATO defense ministers’ talks, where he held a joint press conference with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte. While Rutte described the support for Ukraine as a “strong signal,” he cautioned against endorsing Zelensky’s entire plan.
Zelensky’s proposal rules out any territorial concessions, requests the lifting of restrictions on using donated long-range weapons against Russian military sites, and suggests deploying a “non-nuclear strategic deterrence package” within Ukraine.
While NATO member states have declared Ukraine’s path to membership as “irreversible,” the U.S. and Germany have resisted immediate accession, fearing it could lead to direct conflict with nuclear-armed Russia. Rutte reiterated that “Ukraine will be a member of NATO in the future,” but did not specify when.
As the conflict continues, Ukraine’s allies recognize the urgency of the situation, with NATO focusing on maintaining “massive military aid” to Ukraine to ensure Zelensky can negotiate from a position of strength. Despite ongoing calls for enhanced air defense systems amid increasing Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities, no new military announcements were expected from NATO this week.