WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States said on Monday that it was Russia that was escalating the conflict in Ukraine by deploying North Korean troops, after the Kremlin warned that Washington would deepen its involvement in the war by allowing kyiv forces to attack Russia with Weapons made in the United States.
State Department spokesman Matthew Miller in a briefing declined to confirm that President Joe Biden’s outgoing administration had decided to allow the strikes, but reiterated that the United States “will always adapt and adjust the capabilities we provide to Ukraine when appropriate.” appropriate to do so.” “
Reuters reported on Sunday that the Biden administration decided to allow Ukraine to carry out the attacks, a move that U.S. officials speaking on condition of anonymity said was a response to the presence of North Korean troops in the conflict.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday that the outgoing administration was adding fuel to the fire and seeking to escalate the conflict in Ukraine.
Russia’s U.N. ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told a Security Council meeting on Monday, citing media reports, that the Biden administration had granted “suicidal permits to Zelenskiy to use long-range weapons to attack inside Russia.” “.
“Maybe Joe Biden, for many reasons, has nothing to lose, but we are amazed by the shortsightedness of the leaders of the United Kingdom and France,” he said.
“They are eager to play into the hands of the outgoing administration and are dragging not only their countries, but all of Europe into a large-scale escalation with drastic consequences,” Nebenzia added.
Miller said earlier Monday that it was Russia that has repeatedly escalated the conflict, pointing to the 11,000 North Korean troops the United States says have been deployed and clashed with Ukrainian forces in Russia’s Kursk region.
“This is a significant escalation by Russia bringing an Asian military into a conflict within Europe,” Miller said, adding that the U.S. response would be firm. “We will continue to do what is appropriate to hold Russia accountable for its actions, including its escalatory actions, and to hold North Korea accountable for its escalatory actions.”
British Foreign Secretary David Lammy told reporters at the United Nations that the presence of North Korean troops was a “very, very significant escalation” and vowed to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position.