North Korea’s Kim Yo Jong, sister of leader Kim Jong Un, accused Ukraine of calling for nuclear weapons, news agency Reuters reported quoting state media. Kim Yo Jong backed her assertion on the basis of an online petition in Ukraine which was signed by almost 1,000 signatures so far.
Kim Yo Jong said that the petition could be a political plot by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s office, without giving any details. After Russian President Vladimir Putin’s announcement on Moscow planning to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, a public petition was filed on Ukrainian presidential office’s website that called for Kyiv to host nuclear weapons on Ukrainian territory. The petition also asked for Ukraine to be armed with its own nuclear weapons.
For the petition to seek a response from Ukraine’s Zelensky, it needed 25,000 signs. Kyiv officials have so far not responded to the petition.
The comments from Kim Jong Un’s sister come at a time when North Korea is trying to establish closer ties with Russia as both Pyongyang and Moscow continue to be isolated by the West. North Kore has also supported, repeatedly, Moscow’s position after Russia invaded Ukraine.