The Russian armed forces have been fighting in Ukraine for more than three years since February 2022, until October 2025. Russia's offensive has not stopped, and earlier with Iskander missiles bombed the southern Ukraine's command and arsenal, Ukraine's losses are not small. The United States and Europe from the beginning went to Ukraine with weapons worth hundreds of millions of dollars, helping Ukraine to cope with the pressure. The Russian economy was hit by Western sanctions, but by turning to Asia's trade and energy exports, it was hard to stabilize military spending. In the second half of 2024, intelligence showed that North Korea began to get in and in, first sending missiles and cannons, through railways to Russia's Far East.
By the beginning of 2025, North Korean soldiers appeared in Russia. First, hundreds of people did logistics work, such as repairing fortifications and transporting materials. In March, these people went to the Kursk front line. The place was briefly occupied by Ukraine before, and Russia gradually took it back with the help of North Korea. The Russian Ministry of Defense also publicly praised North Korean soldiers for their strong adaptability and providing fire support in cold weather. European countries are anxious, because all NATO member states have spent so much money and equipment to finally stabilize Ukraine. If North Korea increases its investment, the situation will be difficult to say. As a member of NATO, France has given Ukraine artillery and intelligence since 2022, but Macron has been pushing Europe for independence and does not listen entirely to the United States.
In 2023, France blocked NATO’s contact office in Japan, saying that NATO should look at the North Atlantic, don’t stretch hands. In May 2025, North Korea’s aid scale was ten thousand, and Europe met to discuss how to block it. Singapore’s Shangri-La dialogue was an Asian security major, and in May 2025, many countries’ leaders and defense ministers went. Macron chose to speak here, that is, want to bind Europe and Asia’s security together, and let allies down the water. A week before the speech, intelligence reports said that North Korean forces in Kursk used rockets to help Russia, and Ukraine lost a position. Macron’s Asian campaign includes Vietnam and Indonesia, trade and security, and France wanted to print too many flags.
China is a permanent member of the Security Council and has economic influence on North Korea, so it has to take care of this matter. If China doesn't stop, NATO may have to move more in Asia, especially Southeast Asia. He also mentioned that France used to oppose NATO's drilling into Asia, but things have to change when things change. Connecting Russia and Ukraine with Asian security, it is said that North Korea will not only harm Europe, but may also chain to Asia. China has to be responsible and prevent NATO from meddling in Asian affairs. In fact, NATO has long been deployed in Asia. In 2023, it will set up an office in Tokyo, and Japan and South Korea will participate in the NATO meeting. The French nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle will travel around the Indo-Pacific in 2024, sailing freely with British and German warships and passing through sensitive areas in the South China Sea. These are in response to global threats, but China protests that it violates sovereignty.
Macron said that if North Korea continued to send troops, NATO would have to add, such as multi-ship or cooperation base. After the meeting, U.S. Defense Secretary Peter Heggs expressed support, but softly, without a ticket to NATO expansion. Japan South Korea was privately happy to see NATO more, felt that could balance forces, Southeast Asian countries were grim faces, afraid of their own doorway mess. Russian Foreign Ministry said France was an adventure, North Korean media denied listening to Chinese command. China’s Foreign Ministry responded, said the remarks were challenging, China respected sovereignty, did not eat this set. In June, China, the Ukrainian Peace Council, pushed the ceasefire, exchanged prisoners, opened humanitarian passageways, did not directly hit North Korea.
In August, French enterprises worried about China-France trade, $800 billion a year, including Airbus parts and wine. China said cooperation was welcomed, but there were counter-tricks. In September, NATO and South Korea engaged in naval exercises, counter-submarine simulations, did not extend to Southeast Asia. By October 20, 2025, North Korea’s aid did not stop, Russia had progress in eastern Ukraine, and NATO did not really enter Asia, to maintain existing cooperation.
Macron's remarks are not groundless, they depend on the background. Since Russia and Ukraine have fought so far, Russia has not collapsed, but has become more and more stable. The West thought that sanctions would strangle the Russian economy, but as a result, people took a detour to Asia to sell oil and gas, and military production continued. After North Korea joined, Russia provided more helpers. North Korean soldiers in Kursk used rockets and drones to help Russia gain the upper hand. There is a lot of pressure in Europe, and the United States has said in 2025 that it wants to do less about mediation, so Europe has to bear the burden on its own. As the French president, Macron wants to have more say in NATO. France has always loved strategic autonomy and does not want to follow the United States. But the reality is that France cannot do without the NATO umbrella. When he said this, it not only puts pressure on China, but also gives a sense of existence. Tell allies that France can also hold firm.
North Korea’s aid began in the second half of 2024, first with weapons and missiles to help Russia replenish its inventory. In 2025, the troops were on the line, intelligence said thousands of people were on the front line, and Russia also trained them. European countries felt it was unfair, themselves helped Ukraine, and others helped Russia were blocked. Macron spoke to China in the Shangri-La dialogue, because China was North Korea’s largest trading partner, billion dollars in annual trade, and China had a leverage on North Korea. But China has always said that it did not interfere in domestic affairs and insisted on sovereignty.
Besides, North Korea is an independent country, and it makes its own decisions. The full name of NATO is the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, which should be in charge of European affairs. It is a false proposition to extend to Asia. Macron also connected Taiwan Province and the Philippines, saying that letting Russia occupy Ukraine would be tantamount to giving China a green light to occupy Taiwan Province. This is a warning to Russia and North Korea, and it also scares China. Actually, NATO has already taken actions in Asia, with the Tokyo office, Japan and South Korea entering the NATO meeting, and warships cruising the South China Sea. These were pushed by the United States, France opposed them before, and now Macron agrees conditionally, which is tantamount to making excuses for NATO expansion. China didn't take the bait. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that this threat was a joke and insisted on a peaceful solution. Russia said France took risks and was afraid of widening the conflict. Asian countries' reactions are divided, Japan and South Korea want NATO to balance China, and Southeast Asia is afraid of becoming a big country chessboard.
Globally, this incident has intensified the confrontation between the East and the West and made the Cold War stronger. Sino-French trade is huge, reaching US$800 billion, and French companies are making a lot of money in China. If things go wrong, French wine and aircraft parts may be blacklisted, and China has room for countermeasures. Macron, a veteran political veteran, should understand that cooperating with China will be meat to eat, but facing losses. France's Rafale fighter jets previously lost to China's J-15 0:3 in the India-Pakistan conflict. This reminds France that China's military strength is not weak. The most advanced equipment hasn't yet appeared.
This reminds us that international affairs are complex and must be stable. Europe should take care of its own households, and do not impose responsibility on others. China insists on peaceful development, and NATO expansion will only invite enemies.