European Commission says Russia's use of North Korean troops reveals its desperation

European Commission spokesperson Anitta Hipper said this during a press briefing in Brussels, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

She said that the deepening cooperation between Russia and North Korea sends a very clear message: Russia is not interested in peace. Instead, she said, Russia continues to exert pressure on Ukraine and is desperately seeking any assistance to prolong its criminal aggression, even turning to international actors that pose serious threats to global peace and security.

She stressed that Russia's desperate appeals for help are evidence of its growing isolation and the weakening of its position, which is due in part to international sanctions.

Hipper noted that following the official acknowledgment of North Korean involvement in Russia's war against Ukraine, the EU would further increase its support for Ukraine and was already preparing the 17th package of sanctions against the aggressor state.

On April 26, the Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Valery Gerasimov, lied to Vladimir Putin that Russian forces had allegedly "liberated" the Kursk region from the Ukrainian Armed Forces, while also, for the first time, officially confirming the participation of North Korean troops in the war against Ukraine.

North Korea also officially confirmed the involvement of its troops in the war.