KYIV - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday that Russia has shared knowledge of jet-powered drones with North Korea, raising fears that the technology, which has wreaked havoc in Ukraine recently, may in the future be used against Japan and other East Asian countries.
The president said during a press conference in Kyiv that North Korean troops deployed in Russia's war against Ukraine were being taught how to control drones as well as electromagnetic jamming used in electronic warfare, calling the development "a very dangerous moment."
Details of the two countries' military cooperation were passed on to former Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera during the lawmaker's recent visit to Ukraine.
According to Zelenskyy, Russia has been providing North Korea with a wide range of technologies in return for ammunition and missiles. He also said Moscow has been producing under license Iranian loitering munitions and supplying Tehran with them for its war with the United States.
He added that it was important for Ukraine and Japan to cooperate in the defense sector, noting that while Japan has many technologies, it does not have experience in modern warfare.
Russia has been ramping up attacks on Ukraine using jet-powered drones, which are difficult to intercept. A bridge in Kyiv was hit from Thursday through Sunday, paralyzing transportation in the capital.
During the same press conference, the Ukrainian president said the United States is proposing a working-level dialogue between the United States, Russia and Ukraine to be held by the end of October to discuss an end to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Ukraine is planning to attend, while Russia has not provided a response, according to Zelenksyy.
The meeting may be held in the United Arab Emirates, with discussions expected to include halting attacks on energy facilities by both Ukraine and Russia.
The press conference came on the back of a visit by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to Kyiv, where he held a meeting with Zelenskyy the same day. Germany agreed to provide a total of 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion) in defense aid and another 350 million euros to assist in the reconstruction of the country's energy infrastructure.
The two countries additionally agreed to jointly develop interceptor drones and to accelerate the production of long-range weapons.
