KYIV (Reuters) – The involvement of North Korean troops in the Russian invasion of Ukraine would be a “huge” escalation risk, Ukraine’s foreign minister told a joint press conference alongside his French counterpart in Kyiv on Saturday.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy accused North Korea this week of deploying officers alongside Russia and preparing to send 10,000 soldiers to help Moscow’s war effort.

Russia and North Korea both deny they have engaged in arms transfers. The Kremlin has also dismissed South Korean assertions that North Korea may have sent some military personnel to help Russia against Ukraine.