Congressman and newly-appointed House Foreign Affairs Committee member Mike Lawler (NY-17) released the following statement after news broke that North Korea appears to be providing the Wagner Group, a Russian paramilitary organization that has committed war crimes across the globe, with weapons in their unjust war against Ukraine.
“The news that North Korea appears to be supplying arms and ammunition to aid Vladimir Putin’s butchery in Ukraine is deeply concerning,” said Congressman Lawler. “The enemies of freedom and democracy are united, working hand-in-hand to disrupt and dismantle the free world.”
“We must never shy away from confronting our foes, whether North Korea, Russia, China, or Iran,” continued Lawler. “Nor can we shirk off our responsibilities to our allies around the globe, including Ukraine, Israel, and our democratic partners in Europe and elsewhere.”
“As a newly appointed member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, I look forward to working with Chairman McCaul and my colleagues to ensure that the United States maintains the strongest national defense possible and is using every tool at its disposal to confront this new axis of evil,” concluded Congressman Lawler.
National Security Council Spokesman John Kirby says that North Korea is supplying arms and ammunition to the Wagner group to support Russia’s war in Ukraine. Kirby also released aerial photos showing the Wagner Group taking delivery of an arms shipment from North Korea to help bolster its forces as it fights side-by-side with Russian troops in Ukraine.
“We assess that the amount of material delivered to Wagner will not change battlefield dynamics in Ukraine. But we’re certainly concerned that North Korea is planning to deliver more military equipment,” said Kirby.
