Security Dialogue: The Russian Federation’s military cooperation with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the possible implications for its ongoing aggression against Ukraine
Statement by Dr Katie Mead, Australia’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations and International Organisations in Vienna
6 November 2024
Thank you, Chairs.
I thank the OSCE Chairpersonship Malta, the FSC Chairpersonship Denmark and the delegation of Ukraine for convening this Joint Meeting of the Forum for Security Co-operation and the Permanent Council.
This sombre occasion cements the indispensability of the Asian Partners for Co‑operation in the OSCE.
As Australia has made clear, North Korea’s support for Russia’s illegal and immoral invasion of Ukraine is a grave threat to regional and global security.
We now have reports that the Russia-North Korea relationship has deepened further, with the arrival of North Korean troops in Russia ahead of potential deployment on the battlefield against Ukraine.
This appears to be a realisation of the mutual defence agreement established under North Korea and Russia’s comprehensive strategic partnership, signed in June.
As noted by the distinguished Italian delegation, yesterday, Australia joined our partners to express our grave concerns regarding the deployment of North Korean troops to Russia and North Korea’s continued transfer of weapons to Russia.
These transfers undermine the global non-proliferation regime and violate United Nations Security Council resolutions for which Russia itself voted.
This is a deeply concerning development that demonstrates the criticality of the Asian Partners in the OSCE.
The OSCE and Indo-Pacific regions are not separated by our geographical distance—the security of both are intertwined.
Indeed, deepened Russia-North Korea ties the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific strategic theatres more closely together and undermines our shared efforts toward global prosperity and security.
Chairs,
As we approach 1,000 days since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, we are again reminded of Russia’s hypocrisy.
Again and again in this room, Russia has condemned military support provided to Ukraine as it fights for its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
This includes the more than $1.5 billion in support that Australia has proudly committed to Ukraine.
At the same time, Russia has turned to North Korea to sustain its ability to continue the war.
Without North Korea, Russia could not overcome the shortcomings in its defence production, or replace the troops it has lost in its senseless war.
This is a sign of Russia’s desperation.
It is clear that Russia has no hesitation in undermining the agreed rules and norms that we rely on for our collective security and prosperity.
It does this in support of its narrow and imperialistic objective of subjugating Ukraine.
Now more than ever, we call for all countries with influence over Russia, including China, to encourage it to immediately end its illegal war.
Australia will continue to work with our partners to hold Russia and North Korea to account and we will continue to support Ukraine to end the war on its own terms.
We call on all Participating States and Partners to do the same.
Thank you, Chairs.