South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol met with a Ukrainian delegation led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov to discuss the security threat posed by North Korean-Russian military cooperation. The delegation later met separately with South Korean officials to strengthen cooperation and share information on North Korean troops in Russia and weapons transfers. President Yoon expressed hope for an effective response to the situation.
Meanwhile, Germany rejected Russia’s claim that it had closed a Russian TV channel’s Berlin bureau, criticizing moves to expel German journalists from Moscow in retaliation. Russia has warned the US against further escalation over Ukraine and vowed to inform Washington about missile launches to avoid “dangerous mistakes.” Germany reciprocated by expelling two correspondents from German public broadcaster ARD in response to the media restrictions imposed by Russia.
In a separate development, Russia’s rouble hit its lowest rate against the dollar since the invasion of Ukraine, following new western sanctions and growing tensions. Russian legislators approved a 30% increase in defense spending for next year, committing to record levels of military expenditure amid the ongoing conflict with Ukraine.
The international community continues to monitor the situation closely, with Nato seeking to strengthen deterrence and defense efforts in support of Ukraine. The US is surging security assistance to bolster Ukraine’s defenses, while Ukrainian prosecutors have accused Russian forces of committing war crimes. A journalist convicted in Russia for cooperating with a foreign organization has also been sentenced to four years in prison, drawing condemnation from human rights groups.
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