Russia has suffered more than 600,000 casualties in its war against Ukraine, according to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
The secretary general also confirmed North Korean troops had been sent to help Russia, with some of Kim Jong Un's forces already having been deployed in the Kursk border region, which Ukrainian forces have partly occupied.
Rutte made the comments while speaking to reporters Monday after South Korean officials briefed the North Atlantic Council and other Indo-Pacific partners (Australia, Japan, and New Zealand) on North Korea's growing involvement in Russia's fighting.
He said the deployment of North Korean troops signified "a significant escalation" in the war and "yet another breach of UN Security Council resolutions."
"[T]he deployment of North Korean troops to Kursk is also a sign of [President Vladimir] Putin's growing desperation," Rutte said in his statement. "Over 600,000 Russian soldiers have been killed or wounded in Putin's war, and he is unable to sustain his assault to Ukraine without foreign support. This is because the Ukrainians are fighting back with courage, resilience and ingenuity."
He added that "NATO calls on Russia and the DPRK to cease these actions immediately."
Russian began the unprovoked war when it invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
On Monday, Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh said no limits on the use of U.S.-made weapons would be imposed on Ukraine if North Korean soldiers are present on the front lines.
"If we see DPRK [Democratic People's Republic of Korea] troops moving in and towards the front lines, I mean, they are co-belligerents in the war. And so, they are fighting on these front lines and the Ukrainians are defending their sovereign territory and pushing the Russians back," Singh said while addressing reporters.
"So, this is a calculation that North Korea has to make. They are sending their soldiers in into a war where we're seeing, you know, Russian casualties and losses, you know, upwards of 500,000 at this point. That is a calculation that, you know, DPRK leadership is making to send their soldiers into combat. But they would — if they are in combat, you know, they're fighting the Ukrainians, who are fighting for their sovereign territory. And we've made a commitment to Ukraine that we're going to continue to support them with whatever it takes."
Rutte said North Korea and Russia are helping each other.
"The deepening military cooperation between Russia and North Korea is a threat to both the Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic security," he said. "It undermines peace on the Korean Peninsula and fuels the Russian war against Ukraine.
"Pyongyang has already supplied Russia with millions of rounds of ammunition and ballistic missiles that are fueling a major conflict in the heart of Europe and undermining global peace and security. In exchange, Putin is providing North Korea with military technology and other support to circumvent international sanctions."