NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said on Monday, the 4th of November, during a visit to the German capital where he met with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, that Russia is carrying out hybrid attacks against other countries as part of its all-out war against Ukraine, reports Politico.
“Russia is carrying out … an intensified campaign of hybrid attacks in the territories of our allies, directly interfering in our democracies, sabotaging industry and committing acts of violence,” Rutte said.
“This shows that the frontline in this war is no longer just in Ukraine. Increasingly, the front line is spreading across borders – to the Baltic region, Western Europe and even to the far north,” he said.
Calling the deployment of North Korean troops by Moscow a “major escalation”, Rutte said China and Iran also supported Moscow, but added that the NATO alliance was cooperating with countries in the Asia-Pacific region, including South Korea and Japan.
South Korea’s defence ministry said on Tuesday that more than 10 000 North Korean troops had arrived in Russia and a “significant number” were in frontline areas, including Kursk, hours after the Pentagon said at least 10 000 North Korean soldiers were in Kursk but it could not confirm they were engaged in combat, according to Reuters.
Speaking hours before polls opened in the tightly contested US presidential election, alliance leader Rutte expressed confidence that whoever wins the election – Kamala Harris or Donald Trump – cooperation will continue with either one to ensure NATO unity.
He said that regardless of the winner, support for NATO would continue because it was in the interests of the US and that the winner will not “repeat the mistake after the First World War of withdrawing from Europe”.
He added that Ukraine was on its way to NATO membership, even though Berlin was not in favour of a speedy formal invitation.
“I am absolutely convinced that one day Ukraine will become a NATO member”, Rutte said, adding that “this bridge is already being built”.