Putin Proposes Possible Military Drills with North Korea Amid Tensions

President Vladimir Putin has hinted at the possibility of conducting military exercises with North Korea. He mentioned a partnership agreement with North Korea that outlines mutual assistance in case of external aggression. Ukrainian President Zelenskiy reported casualties among North Korean troops engaged in combat against Kyiv's forces.

President Vladimir Putin proposed the possibility of conducting joint military drills with North Korea, suggesting that talks and coordination between Moscow and Pyongyang could develop further. This indication came during a session where Putin discussed the framework of a partnership deal with North Korea enacted earlier this year.

Putin highlighted an existing agreement that articulates mutual assistance should either country face aggression from outside forces. The Russian leader hinted that the current agreements are extensions of an older Soviet-era treaty.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy accused North Korean troops of suffering losses in combat against Ukrainian forces. Zelenskiy claimed that North Korean soldiers, reportedly deployed to Russia's Kursk region, have been actively participating in the conflict.

(With inputs from agencies.)